Cholecystectomy—Laparoscopic Surgery Side Effects and Warnings

Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have a cholecystectomy, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Gallstones that have accidentally spilled into the abdominal cavity
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Injury to other nearby structures or organs
• Reactions to general anesthesia
• Blood clots

Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Age: 60 or older

• Pregnancy

• Obesity

• Smoking

• Malnutrition

• Recent or chronic illness

• Diabetes

• Heart or lung problems

• Bleeding disorders

• Alcoholism and use of street drugs

• Use of certain medicines

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge at the incision site
• Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain
• Increased abdominal pain
• Pain that you cannot control with the medicines you have been given
• Blood in the stool
• Nausea and/or vomiting that you cannot control with the medicines you were given, or which last for more than two days
• Bloating and gas that persist for more than a month
• Pain, burning, urgency or frequency of urination, or blood in the urine
• Pain and/or swelling in your feet, calves, or legs
• Dark urine, light stools, or evidence of jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)

In case of an emergency, CALL 911.