Having surgery can be an anxiety-filled experience. However, the worries can be minimized by being aware of some important details about the procedure. It’s either you try to forget everything about the surgery or learn some things about it, so you can be prepared as you go on the table.
It goes without saying that you have to choose the best hospital and surgeons to have your operation with. If you have your gallstone surgery in London, for example, take the time to scrutinize the doctors who will work on you as well as the facilities and location. It also helps to know the following.
Preparing for the surgery:
Before you undergo surgery, you will be made to do some preparatory activities; one of which is to have your intestines cleaned. For this, a prescription solution may be given to you to facilitate the flushing of your stools and remove any accumulation in your intestines. This means that you should not eat anything the night before your surgery.
Additionally, it is important to stop any medication as well as food supplements before surgery. The doctor usually instructs patients about this. If you have a condition that entails the continued use of a medication, the surgery may have to be postponed until you are fully healed. The intake of certain substances or chemicals may increase bleeding or create complications.
You will be unconscious:
The surgery to remove gallstones is called a cholecystectomy, a process which requires the use of general anaesthesia. This means that you will be unconscious throughout the operation. The anaesthesia is administered through a vein in your arm. To help you breathe while you are fully numbed, the doctors will insert a tube into your throat. The surgery may be an open procedure or performed through laparoscopy.
Preparing for recovery:
It is important that you have a plan for your recovery after the surgery. A cholecystectomy only takes a few hours, and the doctor can allow you to go home on the same day. You may only have to stay one or a few nights in the hospital if there are complications or if the procedure requires a longer incision in your abdomen.
The doctors cannot always ascertain the extent of the invasiveness of the surgery beforehand, so it’s best to plan for the worst possible scenario. It is advisable to have someone with you as you go home and recover. If nobody can assist you at home during your recuperation, it is better to stay in the hospital for a few days until you are sure that you are nearly fully healed, and the wound is about to close up.
Gallstone surgery has a 95% success rate, with 90% of patients typically discharged within 24 hours. There’s no reason to be overly anxious about it. You just need to prepare yourself mentally and physically. Be sure to follow the doctor’s instructions, and you can expect everything to proceed without problems.
Read Also:
