HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

How Long Does It Take To Recovery After A Gall Bladder Removal Surgery?

Posted on Wed, 23 Apr 2014

Question: hello doctor i have been operated one month ago for gall bladder removal through open surgery as lapro did not work since the gall bladder stuck to the liver. One of my wound is under healing process near the big cut which was a lapro hole probably. Slowly it is getting filled as i change the bandage probably everyday. Doc says that i have got superifical infection. Issue is that recently i have seen slight pus oozing out from one of the pores of the cut which was healed. Doc has started ZIFI 200. On removal of the bandage the big would bleeds slightly then get back to normal. Even from the hole mild pus when pressed come out and becomes normal. When will my wounds heal and i be normal. I have bath regularly nowadays since 5 days. Hope there is nothing to be tensed about.

Answered by Dr. Ashish Verma (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer: it may take a couple of weeks more Detailed Answer: Hi, Thanks for writing to HCM. Infected wound do take some time to heal. Rapid healing will start when the infection is gone. You have already been started on antibiotics and the pus has reduced, so you should not worry, give it a little more time and dont worry. Slight bleeding is a good sign as it tells that the blood supply is good at the wound, this helps in faster healing. The pus need to be taken out during each dressing by pressing to promote healing. Collected pus hampers healing. You can discuss about this aspect with the doctor when you go out for next dressing. Continue bathing and clean the area thoroughly, and dry it and put a new dressing. Be patient, everything will be fine. Hope that i have answered to all your queries. If you have further queries, i will be glad to answer them. Wish you a speedy recovery. Dr. Ashish Verma

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Ashish Verma (2 hours later)

Thank you doc for your reply. Also wanted to mention that i am still facing stiffness especially while standing and walking, as if some has caught up tightly. When will this feeling go. Doctor has advised me to do a lot of walking etc. I have started driving though i face some sort of mild paing especailly on uneven roads but still manage as i belive that i also have to forget some things and accept that it will take time to heal. Also doc has adivsed me to go to office which is a desk job for me though i plan to drive down and intitially sit for half day for 10 days or so before our 9 hours shift. I hope you understood that the pus comes out from the healed cut from a stich which already closed which i presume whereas the entire cut is healed and part of is exposed as the bandage is put on the Lapro hole and the small hole which has recently started to oose. Also why has the ozing started from the closed stitch. This is second time i have stared zifi to be continued for 5 days, Earlier i had taken for 10 days. My Pain killer has been reudced from 3 to 2 a day which probably doc will stop or reduce now as he mentioned. Presently i have started sleeping on sideways too. Any suggestion you would like to add on from your end. Regards XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Ashish Verma (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer: it will take time Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX That stiffness is due to fibrosis which is part of wound healing. That will slowly ease off as you will start moving your body more. There are many reasons for the wound to get infected. There can a part of suture which may have been left inside after suture removal, this is the most common cause. If your wound fails to heal after two weeks or if it heals now and again starts oozing pus later then better ask your surgeon or preferably another surgeon to explore the wound under cover of a local anesthesia to see if any foreign body is left inside. I dont think that there is need of doing anything else in your case apart from what you are already doing. Wait for a week or two more. Regards Dr. Ashish Verma

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Ashish Verma (46 hours later)

Dear Dr Thanks for you answer. Frankly speaking your answer is quite threatening incase of a foreign object if you take it from a patients point of view. I would like to share that i got operated on 18th Feb and the stitches were opened after 20 days approx and there was not oozing. Post that also there was no oozing. After i opened the bandage a week before a very minute pore oozed pus and since at times is does not ooze. Mostly when the bandage is opened a spot of ooze is visible, else not. What would your opinion be on this ?

Answered by Dr. Ashish Verma (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer: its just one possiblity Detailed Answer: Hi, Sorry if i scared you. What i was saying that its just a possibility. When after 20 days your stitches were removed, the wound was clean. Now its infected since a week or so. I m not saying that the foreign body is deep inside your abdomen. I m speaking of a part of suture that may have been left just below the skin. As if the infection was deep inside then you should also be having pain and even fever. And a totally healed wound should usually not get infected later, wound infection usually starts early before stitch removal, which is not your case. So just wait and complete the antibiotic course. If it got infected during stitch removal, it will heal. But if a part of stitch got accidentally left behind then it will reoccur until that is removed. And for that your whole abdomen wont be opened again. Just the skin, not the muscles below. So relax, wait and see. Regards Dr. Ashish Verma

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Ashish Verma (11 days later)

Hello Doc. Hope you recall my case history. Your consultnacy has convinced me to recharge and talk to you again : Here i would like to add on now that the wound which we were talking about is healed and the pus oozing from the pore has stopped. But still i am continuing to dress to take precaution. Do you think this is fine or shall i leave it open now ?? I am continuing to drive and have started walking for about 20 mins or so. I had certain set of qus in my mind and look forward for your expert opinion. 1. Can i eat pizzas, burgers, butter as i am currently doing so ? 2. I have stopped taking pain killer in the morning which was prescribed inorder to get used to without taking pain killers. Is it OK ? 3. During driving obviously jerks etc pain is felt but bearable. But wanted to get used to. Is it advisable to continue ? Hope there are no dangers for any unfavorbale incidences ? 4. Still have stiffness at times or a feeling of hardness around the big cut. When will i completely be fine ? 5. Very recently at times i feel some movement near the utreus (Above the right testicles). During my 20's i was operated for Hydrosil. Any point of concern ? 6. According to you when can my wife and i have sex ? 7. Is masturbation safe at ths point of time ? Regards XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Ashish Verma (42 minutes later)

Brief Answer: avoid fatty diet Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Sure, I remember you. Good to hear that your wound has healed completely. Now there is no need for the dressing, you can leave it open. Now coming to your queries- 1- Gall bladder stores bile, which is released when you take a fatty meal. This bile is produced by the liver at a constant rate, and is necessary for proper digestion of fat in the food. Now your gall bladder is gone, so whatever bile is being produced by the liver is going into your intestine continuously and there is no surge in the flow on taking fatty meals. So if you will take a very fatty meal, a major part of it will be undigested or incompletely digested, leading to bowel motion irregularities. So avoid that as much as possible. 2-If you can tolerate the pain comfortably then no need of pain killers, they will cause unnecessary gastritis. 3-Driving will not cause any problems, but avoid big holes, else you will have pain. 4-Stiffness will slowly reduce as you start moving normally, it will take a month or so. Its because the scar tissue contracts as it matures. Some residual stiffness may be there for ever, of the scar. 5-First of all, males don't have uterus, its only in females. Second, your hydrocoele has nothing to do with this. Third, i didn't exactly understand where exactly is the movement, or is there is a swelling you are talking about? Please describe it in a bit detail. 6-Sex you can have anytime, just watch for the pain. If pain is more, then better to go slow. 7-Masturbation should not be a problem. Regards Dr. Ashish Verma

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Ashish Verma (11 hours later)

Thanks doc for your detailed answer : Regarding the movement feeling in detail : Though i am also not sure how to explain but its like something turning around slowly or to put in appropriately when erection takes place the penis slowly erects and gradually returns to the normal position. The transition movement between erection and contraction is exactly what i feel at times above the right testicle. Yesterday the movement was felt on the entire penis. I agree though may be my psychological concentration since i was unwell. But would like to your advice. Is is related any part of post operative effect of my gall bladder surgery I dont have hydrocil. I was operated in my 20's for it. Regards XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Ashish Verma (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: that is normal, nothing to worry Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX That is nothing abnormal, its just that you are concentrating so much on it, you are feeling each and every movements. They are normal. Dont worry about that. Its not related in any way to your gall bladder surgery. Regards Dr. Ashish Verma

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Ashish Verma (45 hours later)

Thanks doc. As suggested i shall open the bandage. Is there a necessity to apply any medicated powder - Nebasulf etc after opening the bandage or just leave it. Also today i am experiencing a feeling as if a hard rock has been kept on the would i.e. centre of the body between the lungs and slight bearable pain. It had disappeared for last few days. Even when i touch and feel it seems to be rock hard. Regards XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Ashish Verma (56 minutes later)

Brief Answer: that maybe scar tissue Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Yes you can open the bandages. If the wound has healed completely then no need to apply anything. And that hard thing that you are feeling may be scar tissue which has become hard due to fibrosis. Dont worry about it. It will slowly get organized. Regards Dr. Ashish Verma

Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E