Post Laparoscopic surgery for gallbladder and umbilical hernia

@tennisgolf Welcome to connect We aren't Dr.,s but help where we can. I use to work in the O.R. and stitches inside will desolve overtime but never did we put staples inside just outside You are still healing it takes awhile as the nurse said. Give it time if it doesn't go away talk to your surgeon about it .

Thank you. I will see surgeon tomorrow to clarify. Being a total novice, when I saw "staple" in the Pathology Report, I was surprised. But, of course, I do not comprehend the meaning of the description: QUOTE: "..................Received..............gallbladder...(gives dimensions)......................intact fluctuant gallbladder which displays a 0.2 cm in length a stapled cystic duct". THAT IS THE THE EXACT WORDING - I GUESS EITHER IMPROPER ENGLISH - OR JUST MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY WHICH I CANNOT DECIPHER. (my imagination wonders if a staple from the stapled cystic duct wound up somwhere else?
Question: if there is a staple somewhere, can you see it with an Xray?

@tennisgolf Yes you can see on xray if there is a staple its just like anything in the body like I have wires in from heart surgery as my chest was opened . Pacemakers can be see its just a glob but lets you know something is there . Wonder why they staples the duct instead of using a stich that desolved like our surgeon in the O.R. did . Maybe that's the new thing? Talk to your surgeon

I read some info online (but I am a total novice about medical so this is really out of my league). Sounds to me like they use staples in some cases as they are "more secure". But I also had stitches (Tycron stitches and Tycron sutures - which I assume are the same thing? and Vicryl and Monocryl stitches in different areas. I did read there is some controversy about using staples. But, thank you very much for your reply. (And I hope I am all wrong about feeling something like a staple pricking me inside. Maybe it is just stitches - but it is only one tiny area and never gets better.).

@tennisgolf I hope it isn't a staple . Maybe just a stitch that is caught in tissue of something. Give it a little while longer then see. Let me know what you find out . We care here at connect

@tennisgolf - I had the same procedure some years ago. First I’m impressed you have energy to work out in gym! As I understand the pathology report is that the cystic duct ( leads to common bile duct) was stapled when it was removed with gallbladder, preventing it from leaking all over the place. I doubt there is another staple where the remnant joins the common bile duct- probably sutures. However, the surgeon will see you! Feel better. The nurse was totally out of line.

@tennisgolf @astaingegerdm I agree, that nurse was totally out of line. I had one nurse tell me to stop my "little habit of googling" when I asked a question once. I felt that was totally out of line also. I avoid her whenever possible.
JK

Hi @tennisgolf,

I am always disappointed to hear about nurses or other health care providers be rude to patients! It’s absurd to ask a patient, who is sick themselves, to try and think of the nurse's work load – and they shouldn’t have to.
I’m tagging @johnetteg @rosemarya @ambergoulet @claytamos @smantzel @kcoates @ckeys, for their insights about the pain you are experiencing. They’ve written extensively about the complications after gallbladder surgery.

@tennisgolf, you are not alone in experiencing the frustration of being “dismissed.” If there is one thing I've learned from the members on Connect, it is that you should never give up until you find the right person who can help you in the best possible way.
It is absolutely okay to call your surgeon – you should have been given contact information when you were discharged. If you’re concerned about something, you want to know so that it can be treated.

I was fortunate that the staff at my doctor's office has been great. Post gallbladder removal I only experienced pain and discomfort for about 6 months. After that I was pretty much back to normal. I had other problems later that weren't related to the gallbladder removal. If you're having problems with a nurse I would tell your doctor about what is going on. If that doesn't resolve the situation I'd go to a different doctor. Nothing worse than a nurse or doctor making you feel worse.

@tennisgolf I know that I have two staples remaining from my gallbladder surgery because radiologists comment on it whenever I have a CT scan for my lymphoma. I believe this is a common way to seal off the ducts. I’m a little confused as to where your pain is. Staples would be up in the area of where the gallbladder was, but the laparoscopic sutures would be in your belly button. Personally I have had reactions to some types of stitches that causes an increase in scar tissue. I’ve also had stitches that were supposed to dissolve not dissolve. Both of these for from other surgeries. While the nurse was completely out of line to speak to you like that, she might be right in that it’s just going to take a little more time to heal. However if the doctor noted some redness you do want to make sure you don’t have an infection brewing. I would say that if you have concerns and the nurse is not adequately addressing them, call and make an appointment with the doctor (it seems like there are communication problems anyway so best to get information from doc). At the same time you can tell him you needed to see him because the nurse was very dismissive. In all likelihood it’s just some healing and scar tissue that you’re feeling, but there’s no reason to be sitting and worrying about it if you can simply see the doctor and have it resolved. Sounds like you are otherwise doing quite well, congratulations