Pseudotumor Cerebri Support Group

Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) is a neurological disorder that is characterized by increased intracranial pressure, in the absence of a tumor or other diseases affecting the brain or its lining. Diagnosis requires brain scans and lumbar puncture. Characteristic symptoms are headache, transient visual obscurations or transient visual loss in one or both eyes usually lasting...

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Gallbladder question

loveyalots143
loveyalots143
Sorry, this may be off topic but am curious. Last Thursday I had my gallbladder removed. When I woke up all the way, I noticed I have four incisions. Three of them are small, similar to the incisions when my appendix was removed but one is about 3-4" long. I know the plan was to do the surgery laparoscopically, but I don't remember a long incision being part of the plan.

Now, I will say in the pre-op appointment, the surgeon was not 100% certain of where the tubes were going to be, due to my shunt tubing, so this also may have played a part?

Any guidance?

Thanks!
Kristena
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi Kristena,

I dont know myself at all and i dont have a shunt. Just from looking on the web i have found a paper:

This seems to be a good over view of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and LP shunts - (Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy is your newer type of keyhole surgery used to remove the gallbladder.)

But it does mention that: of 23 patients with VP shunts undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy did, however, find that 35% of patients needed conversion to an open procedure owing to dense adhesions within the abdomen -what type of shunt do you have??

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/cris/2013/929082/

might be worth a read?
PressureCooker
PressureCooker
Lovely: Where's the bigger incision located? Up by the gallbladder or down by the distal catheter?
loveyalots143
loveyalots143
The longer incision is up in the middle of my abdomen. Slightly above my belly button.

Thanks for the articles, I will keep reading, slow as it may be. :-/ (brain fog is wonderful right?). I have an LP shunt and the doctor told my husband there was "a lot of fluid" which he suspected was from the shunt.

Thanks again!
deleted_user
deleted_user
When mine was removed, I had a larger incision there as well. I also had about 4 ft (seriously) of tubing stuffed in there and a drain because there was so much stuff that needed to drain out (from somewhere!) after surgery. Not much help, but mine was only about 2 to 2 1/2 inches while the others were tiny.
Sophiasmom06
Sophiasmom06
removing the gallbladder is a very complicated surgery, it's hard to locate the vessels that need to be ligated and it's hidden up inside the liver. it was hard for me to follow in an open cholecystectomy when I was a med student watching. when I heard they started doing it laparoscopically, I was kind of horrified. so I think it wouldn't take a lot to have to convert to the open procedure, certainly if there was any issue with adhesions and your tubing.