“Can you be awake during gallbladder surgery?”
I need to have gallbladder surgery. I am afraid of general anesthesia. Can you be awake during gallbladder surgery?
9 Answers
If it is being done laparoscopically, you really should be asleep. Why would you want to be awake during your surgery? Talk with your anesthesia and surgical teams prior to surgery. With today's monitoring systems and medications, general anesthesia is by far the safest way to undergo gallbladder surgery. Talk to others who have had this surgery. Good luck!
Dr. Aaron Michael Kalin
Anesthesiologist | Pain Medicine
No. More importantly you wouldn't want to be awake during a gallbladder surgery.
Hi.
It is possible to do cholecystectomy under epidural anesthesia or spinal anesthesia. But epidural anesthesia is preferred.
Good luck.
Sincerely,
M. Tabatabai, MD, PhD
It is possible to do cholecystectomy under epidural anesthesia or spinal anesthesia. But epidural anesthesia is preferred.
Good luck.
Sincerely,
M. Tabatabai, MD, PhD
Cholecystectomy requires general anesthesia. Most gallbladder surgeries are done laparoscopically. The abdomen is insufflated with CO2 gas to distend it. General anesthesia is preferred to control ventilation, otherwise one will develop respiratory acidosis and consequential cardiac arrest.
General anesthesia is required. You can speak to an anesthesiologist in advance to have your questions answered which should allay your fears.
No
Cholecystectomy is an upper abdominal surgery that involves the removal of the gallbladder. For a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the air is insufflated through a port and can cause chest and shoulder discomfort. It is not easily performed under a regional block and requires a general anesthetic.
Technically, you can be awake for any surgery. However, definitely not recommended. For gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy), it is best to undergo general anesthesia. If done by laparascope, the surgeon will insufflate (put gas into) your abdominal cavity for better visualization. Your anesthesiologist can better expound on what's involved. It is best to trust your surgical team to provide the safest and most expedient approach to your procedure.
No, that's not possible. The risk of gallbladder surgery is quite low overall. If you have obesity, cardiac or pulmonary disease, then your risk will be higher, but you need to weight those risks vs. the risk of keeping a diseased gallbladder. It is better to remove the gallbladder under a controlled elective setting rather than in an emergency setting.
