Blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) or in the lungs (pulmonary emboli):
Moving around as soon as possible after your operation is recommended. We will give you special surgical stockings to wear whilst you are in hospital and injections to thin the blood. The Physiotherapist will show you some leg exercises to help prevent blood clots.

• After your operation your anaesthetist continues to monitor your condition carefully.
• You will probably be transferred to a recovery ward where specially trained nurses, under the direction of anaesthetists, will look after you.
• Your anaesthetist and the recovery nurses will ensure that all the anaesthetic effects are reversed and that you are closely monitored as you return to full consciousness.
• You may be given some oxygen to breathe in the recovery area, and may find that intravenous drips have been inserted whilst you are unconscious in theatre and that these will be replacing fluids that you might require.
• You will be given medication for any pain that you might feel, and systems, such as Patient Controlled Anaesthesia (PCA) may be set up to continue pain control on the ward.
• You are likely to feel drowsy and sleepy at this stage. Some patients feel sick, others may have a sore throat related to the insertion of the breathing tube during surgery.
• During this time it is important that you relax as much as you can, breathe deeply, do not be afraid to cough, and do not hesitate to ask the nursing staff for any pain relief, and about any queries you may have.
• You are likely to have hazy memories of this time and some patients experience vivid dreams.
• The length of your hospital stay will depend on a number of factors including how complex your procedure was and how your body recover’s from the operation.
• Your doctor and their team will discuss your specific recovery and what you should do once you leave hospital.

Removal of the gallbladder is a very common and very safe procedure. However, like all operations, there are small risks involved. We believe that it is very important that you are fully aware of these risks as this is important in your understanding of what the operation involves. The possible complications below are particularly important as they can mean that you need to stay in the hospital for longer and that further operations or procedures are required.

Bleeding – This very rarely occurs after any type of operation. Your pulse and blood pressure are closely monitored after your operation as this is the best way of detecting this potential problem. If bleeding is thought to be happening, you will require a further operation to stop it. This can usually be done through the same keyhole scars as your first operation.

Infection – this can affect your scars (‘wound infection’) or can occur inside your tummy. Again this can happen after any type of abdominal operation. Simple wound infections can be easily treated with a short course of antibiotics. Infection inside your tummy will also usually settle with antibiotics. Occasionally, it may be necessary to drain off infected fluid from inside your tummy. This is most frequently performed under a local anaesthetic by our colleagues in the X-ray department.

Leakage of bile – When we remove the gallbladder, we put special clips on the tube that connects the gallbladder to the main bile duct draining the liver. Despite this, sometimes bile fluid leaks out. If this does occur, we have a number of different ways of dealing with this. Sometimes the fluid can simply be drained off by our colleagues in the X-ray department. In other cases, we will perform a special test called an ERCP. This is a procedure where you are made very sleepy (using sedative injections) and a special flexible camera (‘an endoscope’) is passed down your gullet and stomach to allow the doctor to see the lower end of your bile duct. A special dye allows us to see where the bile has leaked from. If the bile is leaking a plastic tube (called a ‘stent’) will be inserted into your bile duct to allow the bile to drain internally. This stent is usually removed six to eight weeks after it is put in. Rarely, if a patient develops a bile leak, an operation is required to drain the bile and wash out the inside of the abdominal cavity. This can usually be performed as a keyhole procedure.

• Injury to Bile Duct – Injury to the main bile duct draining bile from the liver to your intestine is a rare (1 per 800 cases) complication of gallbladder surgery. We use a number of techniques during the operation to prevent this from happening. If an injury occurs, it requires immediate repair so that you recover smoothly from the operation. Repair of this injury requires an open cut to be made under your ribs.

• Injury to the intestine, bowel and blood vessels – Injury to these structures can, very rarely, occur during the insertion of the keyhole instruments and during the freeing up of the gallbladder particularly if it is very inflamed. Usually, this injury can be seen and repaired at the time of the operation, but occasionally may only become clear in the early postoperative period. If we suspect that you may have sustained such an injury, a further operation will be required. This will be performed as a keyhole operation but will need conversion to an open operation if necessary.

• Blood clots in the legs (DVT) – Before your operation, you will be fitted with some stockings that you wear during your operation to help prevent blood clots from developing in the veins of your legs. You may also be given an injection in the skin of your tummy – this is a blood-thinning medicine (Heparin) that also helps prevent blood clots.

In modern anaesthesia, serious problems are uncommon. Risks cannot be removed completely, but modern equipment, training and drugs have made it a much safer procedure in recent years. The risk to you as an individual will depend on; whether you have any other illness, personal factors (such as smoking or being overweight) or surgery that is complicated, long or done in an emergency. Please discuss any pre-existing medical condition with your anaesthetist.

Very common and common side effects (1 in 10 or 1 in 100 people)

Feeling sick and vomiting after surgery, sore throat, dizziness, blurred vision, headache, itching, aches, pains and backache, pain during injection of drugs, bruising and soreness, confusion or memory loss.

Uncommon side effects and complications (1 in 1000 people)

Chest infection, bladder problems, muscle pains, slow breathing (depressed respiration), damage to teeth, lips or tongue, an existing medical condition getting worse, awareness (becoming conscious during your operation).

Rare or very rare complications (1 in 10,000 or 1 in 100,000)

Damage to the eyes, serious allergy to drugs, nerve damage, death, equipment failure.