gallbladder surgery

[saltedtomatoes]

Due to have my gallbladder removed.Anyone tel me if I can refuse laporoscopy in favour of open surgery.Know too many complications with the lap way.

You can refuse to sign the consent form, but the surgeon also has the right to refuse to operate.

What sort of complications have you heard about? I haven't nursed in many years now, but open surgery was routine when I was working in a large hospital and quite apart from the long recuperation period, there were many more complications. Laparoscopy on the other hand, is much safer and has a much reduced recuperation period.

I agree with Jan, much quicker recovery and less pain with Laparoscope.

I had keyhole surgery for gallbladder removal about 6 years ago. Was back at work in 2 weeks, 3 tiny scars and no complications.

As the gallbladder sits behind your liver then your liver has to literally be lifted out the way with open surgery, it's also 6 weeks minimum off work, and a week long stay in hospital. I was out next morning, albeit it rather bruised. Only had normal paracetomol as painkillers and was feeling okay after about 5 days.

What have you heard that means you would rather have open surgery? It is generally far far more risky.

I had my GB removed and was told before hand that depending on how it went they were going to try with laparscope, but if not, then it'd be open surgery.

Luckily they were able to use the laparascope, and i was left with three small scars, but nothing compared to the huge scar i would have been left with.

Recovery was quicker - imo keyhole is much better.

Go for keyhole if you have a choice.

My keyhole op failed and they converted it to an open. I have a nasty massive scar, needed a blood transfusion and several day on a morphine drip for the pain. Scar got infected, I had fever and oher side effects, took me months to recover.

Would not recommend open surgery at all

thanks for ur input everyone.I know of several cases where the clips used to seal of the bile duct and blood supply have come away and embedded into other areas.Causing further surgeries over the nxt year,I don't work have other medical problems and wheelchair bound.

Go for keyhole surgery - even with complications, the lap surgery time is much quicker, and the scaring and potential of all your innards getting bound up in the connective tissue scars is so much less with lap.

You are facing a potentially long and arduous operation with open surgery and the risks of getting an infection / cardiac arrest are much higher of you are on the operating table and under anaesthetic longer.

Quick in quick out is really the best option, especially if you have an underlying medical condition. I'd go for the lap surgery again - never open surgery.

Talk your fears over with your surgeon. Let her reassure you.

And good luck with it.

I had my gallbladder out with lap surgery and was sore for a few days - but not enough to stop me going camping a week later. Never heard of the stent coming loose. Heard a lot about continuous and debilitating pain after open surgery scarring though.

thanks zazen,well I'll talk with my surgeon and see what he says I'm just confused and in 2 minds as to have it done at all.

Good luck with it - I wasn't diagnosed for three years and dropped to six and a half stone as I was only 24 at the time - All it took was a sonogram to diagnose me, but the docs INSISTED I was anorexic, as I was vomiting after every meal - I mean, Hello, major symptom of bile duct getting blocked is vomiting!!!!! Cue blushes when they discovered I had masses and masses of little stones in my gall bladder after the sonogram!!

I wished I had known how to insist about having the thing taken out earlier, before I got so thin, and was in agony for so long.

I found recovery from very quick lap op very good - most painful was getting a stitch out in my navel a week after surgery - the very young nurse was a bit of a klutz / nervous, but my friend had told me to take a paracetamol before hand so her fumbling wasn't so bad.

It is important to remember that the less time you are under anaesthetic the better and the smaller the wounds the better. Also important is to stretch and sit up straight as possible afterwards.

BTW Most docs can't preform open surgery as they are all highly trained with the laps technique - any surgeon who can preform open surgery is probably well past it medically, and hasn't kept up with training IMO!!

You'd probably get a stent after full open surgery also, so not too sure about your fear about stent coming loose with lap......

Hope it all goes well with you!