Can u have gall bladder removed with epidural instead of general anesthetic?!
Question: Gallbladder Surgery
There are two ways to perform gallbladder surgery: open cholecystectomy or laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Open Cholecystectomy
An abdominal incision is made to expose the gallbladder, located under the right portion of the liver. The gallbladder with its stones is removed. Once the gallbladder has stones, it is diseased and cannot be left behind. Removal of gallstones alone is not standard accepted practice. Usually an x-raytest called the intraoperative cholangiogram is done during the surgery to see if gallstones are also in the common bile duct. If this test shows stones, then the common bile duct is explored and these stones are removed. Local anesthesia is given at the incision sites to help reduce pain, the incisions are all closed, and a dressing is applied.
General anesthesia is the preferred technique to make the patient comfortable and pain free. Postoperative pain may be managed with an epidural or by patient controlled analgesia (PCA) where the patient activates a device to deliver a dose of intravenous painkiller. In addition, injected and oral painkillers can be used.
The most common side effects from the surgery and anesthesia are pain from the abdominal incision, nausea and vomiting, sore throat, muscle aches, tiredness and a general feeling of illness. Recovery usually takes several days to a week in the hospital. Patients are usually out of work 2-3 weeks and usually cannot resume significant physical activity for 6-8 weeks.
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
A telescopic instrument called a laparoscope is inserted into a small incision at the belly button (umbilicus). The laparoscope is connected to a tiny video camera which projects a magnified view of the operative site onto video monitors. These video monitors help your surgeon perform the surgery. Carbon dioxide is passed through the laparoscope to fill the abdominal cavity, providing your surgeon with a better view. Small abdominal incisions (one-fourth to one-half inch) are usually made near the primary one at the umbilicus to pass in special surgical instruments with which the operation is performed and the gallbladder removed. The common bile duct is usually examined with use of an intraoperative cholangiogram (see above) to make sure that no stones have migrated into the duct. If this occurs, stones within the bile duct can be removed laparoscopically by a surgeon with specific expertise using a sophisticated instrument called a choledochoscope. During the surgery all contents of the abdominal cavity can be viewed and examined through the laparoscope, increasing the safety of the procedure and aiding in the diagnosis of other diseases. Local anesthetic is given at the incision sites to help prevent pain and the small incisions are all closed and covered with steri-strips or Band-Aids.
General anesthesia is the preferred technique to assure optimal operating conditions and a pain-free and comfortable state. Postoperative pain is usually managed with combinations of small doses of intravenous and oral painkillers.
The most common side effects after surgery and anesthesia include nausea and vomiting, sedation, sore throat, generalized muscle aches, aches in the shoulder blades and back of neck from the gas (from nerve stimulation caused by the C02 gas used to inflate the abdomen), and mild pain from the incisions.
You will probably be able to go home after a few hours or early the next day once you can tolerate food and drink. If you are over age 65, have major health problems, have acute infection of the gallbladder (cholecystitis), or have prolonged surgery, you may need a longer time for recovery. Either way, you will probably be able to resume normal activities within the week after surgery although you may feel tired.
The main advantages of the laparoscopic technique are the following:
Four small scars instead of one large abdominal scar
Reduced postoperative pain
Shorter hospital stay
Answers: Gallbladder Surgery
There are two ways to perform gallbladder surgery: open cholecystectomy or laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Open Cholecystectomy
An abdominal incision is made to expose the gallbladder, located under the right portion of the liver. The gallbladder with its stones is removed. Once the gallbladder has stones, it is diseased and cannot be left behind. Removal of gallstones alone is not standard accepted practice. Usually an x-raytest called the intraoperative cholangiogram is done during the surgery to see if gallstones are also in the common bile duct. If this test shows stones, then the common bile duct is explored and these stones are removed. Local anesthesia is given at the incision sites to help reduce pain, the incisions are all closed, and a dressing is applied.
General anesthesia is the preferred technique to make the patient comfortable and pain free. Postoperative pain may be managed with an epidural or by patient controlled analgesia (PCA) where the patient activates a device to deliver a dose of intravenous painkiller. In addition, injected and oral painkillers can be used.
The most common side effects from the surgery and anesthesia are pain from the abdominal incision, nausea and vomiting, sore throat, muscle aches, tiredness and a general feeling of illness. Recovery usually takes several days to a week in the hospital. Patients are usually out of work 2-3 weeks and usually cannot resume significant physical activity for 6-8 weeks.
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
A telescopic instrument called a laparoscope is inserted into a small incision at the belly button (umbilicus). The laparoscope is connected to a tiny video camera which projects a magnified view of the operative site onto video monitors. These video monitors help your surgeon perform the surgery. Carbon dioxide is passed through the laparoscope to fill the abdominal cavity, providing your surgeon with a better view. Small abdominal incisions (one-fourth to one-half inch) are usually made near the primary one at the umbilicus to pass in special surgical instruments with which the operation is performed and the gallbladder removed. The common bile duct is usually examined with use of an intraoperative cholangiogram (see above) to make sure that no stones have migrated into the duct. If this occurs, stones within the bile duct can be removed laparoscopically by a surgeon with specific expertise using a sophisticated instrument called a choledochoscope. During the surgery all contents of the abdominal cavity can be viewed and examined through the laparoscope, increasing the safety of the procedure and aiding in the diagnosis of other diseases. Local anesthetic is given at the incision sites to help prevent pain and the small incisions are all closed and covered with steri-strips or Band-Aids.
General anesthesia is the preferred technique to assure optimal operating conditions and a pain-free and comfortable state. Postoperative pain is usually managed with combinations of small doses of intravenous and oral painkillers.
The most common side effects after surgery and anesthesia include nausea and vomiting, sedation, sore throat, generalized muscle aches, aches in the shoulder blades and back of neck from the gas (from nerve stimulation caused by the C02 gas used to inflate the abdomen), and mild pain from the incisions.
You will probably be able to go home after a few hours or early the next day once you can tolerate food and drink. If you are over age 65, have major health problems, have acute infection of the gallbladder (cholecystitis), or have prolonged surgery, you may need a longer time for recovery. Either way, you will probably be able to resume normal activities within the week after surgery although you may feel tired.
The main advantages of the laparoscopic technique are the following:
Four small scars instead of one large abdominal scar
Reduced postoperative pain
Shorter hospital stay