A cholecystectomy carries a small risk of complications including but not limited to:

• Bile leak
• Bleeding
• Blood clots
• Heart problems
• Infection
• Injury to nearby structures, such as the bile duct, liver and small intestine
• Pancreatitis
• Pneumonia

You may be able to drive after 2 or 3 days if you are not taking strong pain drugs (narcotics). You may lift 15 pounds (7 kilograms) or less. DO NOT do any heavy lifting or straining for the first 1 to 2 weeks. You may be able to go back to a desk job within a week.

Most people who have keyhole surgery are able to leave hospital on the same day as the operation. It will usually take around two weeks to return to your normal activities. After open surgery, you’ll usually have to stay in hospital for three to five days and your recovery time will be longer.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) by laparoscopy. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is performed through several small incisions. The laparoscope, a small thin tube, is put into the abdomen through a tiny cut made just below the navel.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the standard of care for the surgical treatment o fcholecystitis. The ACR 2010 criteria state that laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the primary mode of treatment for acute cholecystitis.

Bile is important because it helps with the digestion of fat and its transfer from the intestine into the body. When the gallbladder is removed, bile made by the liver can no longer be stored between meals. Instead, the bile flows directly into the intestine anytime the liver produces it.

Your gallbladder is an organ you can live without. In the first few weeks after your surgery, your doctor probably will recommend that you eat a mostly low-fat diet while your body adjusts to living without a gallbladder.

Untreated, cholecystitis may lead to any of the following health problems:

• Empyema (pus in the gallbladder)
• Gangrene
• Injury to the bile ducts draining the liver (may occur after gallbladder surgery)
• Pancreatitis
• Perforation
• Peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the abdomen)

Tests and procedures used to diagnose cholecystitis include:

• Blood tests: Your doctor may order blood tests to look for signs of an infection or signs of gallbladder problems.
• Imaging tests that show your gallbladder.

• Eggs (Research showed that eggs caused symptoms in up to 95% of patients. Try substituting flax seed gel in recipes that require eggs for the “glue”.
• Pork
• Onions
• Fowl (turkey, chicken)
• Dairy (milk, cheese, cream, butter)
• Gluten (wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, etc.)
• Beans and legumes
• Oranges, grapefruit

The main cause of cholecystitis is gallstones or biliary sludge getting trapped at the gallbladder’s opening. This is sometimes called a pseudolith, or “fake stone.” Other causes include: injury to the abdomen from burns, sepsis or trauma, or because of surgery.

Signs and symptoms of cholecystitis may include:

• Severe pain in your upper right or center abdomen.
• Pain that spreads to your right shoulder or back.
• Tenderness over your abdomen when it’s touched.

For a healthy gallbladder, incorporate the following foods into your diet:

• bell peppers
• citrus fruits
• dark, leafy greens
• tomatoes
• milk
• sardines
• fish and shellfish
• low-fat dairy

Without appropriate treatment, acute cholecystitis can sometimes lead to potentially life-threatening complications. The main complications of acute cholecystitis is the death of gallbladder tissue (gangrenous cholecystitis), which can cause a serious infection that spreads throughout the body.