Special considerations
Patient care for gallbladder and bile duct disease focuses on supportive care and close postoperative obstruction.
-Before surgery. teach the patient to deep-breathe, cough expectorate,and perform leg exercises that are necessity after surgery. Also teach splinting, repositioning, and ambulation techniques. Explain the procedures that will be performed before, during ,and after surgery to help ease the patient's anxiety and to help ensure his co - operation.
-After surgery, monitor the patient 's vital signs for signs of bleeding, infection, or atelectasis.
-Evaluate the incision site for bleeding. Serosanguineous drainage is common during the first 24 to 48 hours if the patient has a wound drain . If, after a choledochostomy, a T -tube drain is placed in the duct and attached to a drainage bag, make sure that the connecting tubing from the T- tube is well secured to the patient to prevent dislodgment.
-Measure and record T-tube drainage daily (200 to 300 ml is normal).
-Teach patient who will be discharged with a T-tube how to perform dressing changes and routine skin care.
-Monitor the patient 's intake and output, Allow him nothing by mouth for 24 to 48 hours or until bowel sounds return and nausea and vomiting cease (postoperative nausea may indicate a full bladder).
-If the patient doesn't void within 8 hours(or if the amount voided is inadequate based on I. V. fluid intake), percussover the symphysis pubis for bladder distention (especially in the patient who has had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be discharged the same day or within 24 hours after surgery. He should have minimal pain, be able to return to normal activity within a few days to a week.
- Encourate deep-breathing and leg exercises every hour. The patient should ambulate after surgery. Provide elastic stockings to support the leg muscles and promote venous blood flow, thus preventing stasis and clot formation.
-Evaluate the location, diuretion, and character of any pain. Administer adequate medication to relieve pain, especially be fore such activities as deep breathing and ambulation, which increase pain.
-At discharge, advise the patient against heavy lifting or straining for 6 weeks. Urge him to walk daily. Tell him that food restrictions are unnecessary unless he has an intolerance to a specific food or some underlying condition (such as diabetes,atherosclerosis, or obesity) that required such restriction.
-Instruct the patient to notify the surgeon if he has pain for more than 24 hours or notice any jaundice, anorexia, nausea or vomiting, fever, or tenderness in the abdominal area because these may indicate a biliary track injury form cholestectomy, requiring immediate attention.