I often feel pain after having my gallbladder removed.

The gallbladder is a small organ located below the liver. The liver makes bile, a substance that helps the body break down and absorb fats. The gallbladder then stores extra bile that the liver produces. When you eat food that contains fat that needs to be digested, it releases bile. Normal digestion is possible without a gallbladder, and bile will continue to reach your small intestine, but it won't always be stored in the gallbladder. Cholecystectomy is a common operation in clinic, but some people often feel pain after having cholecystectomy. What is the reason?

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the most common cholecystectomy in clinical practice today. This is a minimally invasive procedure. However, open gallbladder surgery is still widely performed in a variety of populations, especially those with scar tissue or other anatomical complications from previous abdominal surgery.

Gastrointestinal dysfunction is prone to occur after cholecystectomy. This is a pathophysiological state caused by temporary suppression of gastrointestinal motility. It is currently believed to be related to the following factors: ① Absorption of carbon dioxide gas into the blood causes hypercapnia, affecting gastrointestinal blood supply; ② Stimulation, traction, and injury during abdominal instrumentation operations; ③ Inhibition of gastrointestinal smooth muscle by anesthetic drugs; ④ Postoperative pain stimulation, etc. This leads to inhibition of intestinal function, and intestinal paralysis symptoms such as abdominal distension, diarrhea, and gas retention. There is no effective Western medicine for this type of disease, but traditional Chinese medicine has a better effect, so it is recommended to take Chinese patent medicine for treatment, such as Simotang oral liquid. Simotang oral liquid is made of four medicinal materials: costus root, fructus aurantii, lindera umbellata, and areca catechu. Among them, costus root can promote qi circulation, relieve pain, strengthen the stomach and aid digestion; fructus aurantii can regulate qi, relieve fullness, relieve stagnation and relieve bloating; lindera umbellata can smooth qi and relieve fullness, dispel cold and relieve pain; areca catechu can promote qi circulation. The four medicines are used together to achieve the effects of relieving Qi, relieving adverse reactions, eliminating accumulation and relieving pain. Increase the secretion of digestive glands, enhance gastrointestinal motility, and significantly improve gastrointestinal function.

The diet should be light and easily digestible, and plenty of beverages (1500-2000ml) should be consumed to dilute the bile. Eat once every 2 to 3 hours to stimulate bile secretion. Eat easily digestible protein, 50g per day. Do not eat animal brains, kidneys, egg yolks, fried foods, or spicy foods. In terms of dietary regularity, it is advisable to eat at regular times and in regular amounts, eat small meals frequently, and avoid overeating. In terms of dietary structure, strictly control fat and cholesterol-containing foods, such as fatty meat, fried foods, animal offal, etc., because the formation of gallstones is related to high cholesterol and metabolic disorders in the body. Do not drink alcohol or eat spicy food. It is better to eat more side dishes such as radish, green vegetables, beans, soy milk, etc. Radish has a bile-boosting effect and can help digest and absorb fat; green vegetables contain a lot of vitamins and fiber; beans are rich in plant protein. In addition, some fruits, juices, etc. should be supplemented to make up for the loss of body fluids and vitamins caused by inflammation.