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Preparing For Your Hospital Admission for Laparoscopic or Open Gallbladder Surgery THE WEEK BEFORE PROCEDURE: Unless otherwise directed by the nurse or doctor. DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN OR IBUPROFEN (such as Motrin), Vitamin E or any other medications that thin the blood. See medication guidelines for surgery. THE DAY BEFORE SURGERY: Unless otherwise directed by the nurse or your doctor, DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING AFTER MIDNIGHT. A nurse from the Surgery Time Line will call you Monday through Friday between 3-7 p.m. to inform you of your scheduled arrival time. If you have no phone or have not been contacted, please call the Surgery Time Line at (860) 545-3208 between 3-7 p.m. Monday through Friday for your surgery time, arrival time and other instructions. You should expect to arrive two hours prior to your scheduled surgery time. THE DAY OF THE SURGERY: Leave all valuables at home (jewelry, credit cards, checkbook etc.). Park your car in the parking garage adjacent to the Medical Office Building, 85 Seymour St. Parking fee is $1.00 per half hour, maximum $8.00/daily. You may use the Valet Service located at the entrance to Hartford Hospital. Your parking ticket will be validated at the unit. Use the main entrance to the Hospital. Report to the Ambulatory Surgery Center at Hartford Hospital, 85 Jefferson St. 5th Floor, Room 501, approximately two hours prior to the procedure to register. Families are encouraged to remain with the patient throughout the admissions process. Preparing For Discharge Planning your discharge - Things to consider before your Admission If laparoscopic surgery is performed, you will be discharged on the day of surgery or the morning after. If your surgery is not laparoscopic, you will remain in the hospital for 4 - 5 days. Following surgery, it is not uncommon to experience some weakness, lightheadedness, or sleepiness. We encourage you to arrange childcare during and after your hospital stay. We encourage you to arrange for transportation on your day of discharge. A responsible adult must drive you home. Following surgery, you must not drink alcohol, drive or make important decisions for 24 hours. Recovering At Home CALL YOUR SURGEON FOR THE FOLLOWING: Temperature over 101 Drainage, redness, increased swelling of incision. Pain not relieved by pain medication. Nausea and/or vomiting INCISION CARE Keep the incisional site dry. You may have sutures or steri-strips over your incisional site. These will be removed at your postop visit. Some patients will have absorbable sutures. You may have soreness in your shoulders or abdomen due to irritation from the carbon dioxide used during the laparoscopic procedure. This will last 1 - 2 days. You may notice some bruising in the area where the procedure was performed. This is normal and will go away. Do not put lotions or cream on your incision. You might experience swelling in your penis or scrotum. This is normal. You may feel a lump at the incisional site. This is called a healing ridge. This will dissipate in two or three months. BATHING Showers are preferred because incisions should not be soaked in the tub. Shower with warm water and soap as usual but do not scrub the incision. ACTIVITY Constipation commonly occurs from decreased activity or the use of pain medications following surgery. Drink plenty of fluids. Some gas and loose stools are to be expected and are common for a few weeks after removal of the gallbladder. You may drive after your follow-up appointment with the surgeon or as directed by your surgeon. DO NOT DRIVE if you are taking pain medication. Gradual increase in activity is recommended. For example, walking around the house and taking short walks during the first week of discharge. You may resume normal activities as soon as you feel up to it. You will be asked to follow a low-fat diet for 2 - 3 days or until your intestines are functioning normally again.

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