Cholecystostomy
What is a cholecystostomy?
A cholecystostomy is a procedure in which the healthcare provider puts a tube into your gallbladder to drain it.
When is it used?
This procedure may be done when the outlet (neck) of the gallbladder is blocked by a tumor or gallstones. The blockage may cause pain. The gallbladder may become swollen or infected. A cholecystostomy may be done when treatment of the problem by removal of the gallbladder is felt to be unsafe because of your condition or the severity of infection.
The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that is part of the digestive system. It lies beneath the liver on your right side. It stores bile, which is a fluid made by the liver to help to digest fats. Particles in the bile may form gallstones.
Your healthcare provider may feel that it is safer to drain the gallbladder than to remove it. (Gallbladder removal is called a cholecystectomy.) Draining the gallbladder may reduce infection and swelling, making surgery safer at a later time. This procedure will not cure any tumors or stones lodged in the neck of the gallbladder.
As an alternative you could choose not to have treatment, recognizing the risks of your condition. You should ask your healthcare provider about these choices.
How do I prepare for a cholecystostomy?
Cholecystostomy is usually an emergency procedure, so you may not be able to plan ahead. You can plan for your care and recovery after the operation. Find someone to drive you home from the hospital. Arrange for someone to help you during your first few days at home.
Allow for time to rest and try to find people to help you with your day-to-day duties.
Follow your healthcare provider's instructions about not smoking before and after the procedure. Smokers heal more slowly after surgery. They are also more likely to have breathing problems during surgery. For this reason, if you are a smoker, you should quit at least 2 weeks before the procedure. It is best to quit 6 to 8 weeks before surgery. Also, your wounds will heal much better if you do not smoke after the surgery.
Follow any other instructions your provider gives you. Eat a light meal, such as soup or salad, the night before the procedure. Follow your provider's instructions for the morning before the procedure.
What happens during the procedure?
The procedure is usually done either with a local anesthetic and sedative or with a general anesthetic. A local anesthetic numbs part of your body while you remain awake. The sedative helps you relax and be comfortable. If you have a general anesthetic, it will relax your muscles, put you in a deep sleep, and prevent you from feeling pain. Your healthcare provider will decide which procedure is safer depending on your condition and what needs to be done during surgery. Discuss these choices with your provider.
Your healthcare provider puts a tube through your skin into the gallbladder and connects the tube to a drainage bag. You may need to have stones removed from the gallbladder when the tube is placed.
What happens after the procedure?
You must stay in the hospital until your gallbladder is drained and better, which may take a few days. You will probably go home with the tube in place. You may not be able to eat normally for a few days and will be given fluids through a vein until you can return to a normal diet.
You may still need to have the gallbladder surgically removed when you are better and there is less inflammation.
Ask your provider what other steps you should take and when you should come back for a checkup.
What are the benefits of this procedure?
Your gallbladder may be emptied and infection and swelling can be reduced.
After the blockage of the neck of the gallbladder is relieved with a cholecystostomy, it will be safer to remove the gallbladder later.
What are the risks associated with this procedure?
- There are some risks associated with general anesthesia. Discuss these risks with your healthcare provider.
- The local anesthesia may not numb the area quite enough, and you may feel some discomfort. Also, in rare cases, you may have an allergic reaction to the drug used in this type of anesthesia. Depending on your condition, local anesthesia may be safer than general anesthesia.
- The tube might leak or not drain the gallbladder entirely.
- You may get an infection. Your provider may need to place another drain to treat the infection. You may need antibiotics.
You should ask your healthcare provider how these risks apply to you.
When should I call my healthcare provider?
Call your provider right away if:
- You have unusual abdominal pain.
- You feel nauseated.
- You vomit.
- You develop a fever.
- The drainage tube comes out.
- There is any leakage from the tube or drainage bag.
Call during office hours if:
- You have questions about the procedure or its result.
- You want to make another appointment.
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Published by RelayHealth.
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