Postcholecystectomy syndrome

Postcholecystectomy syndrome sometimes occurs when abdominal symptoms develop after surgery to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy). Between 5% and 40% of people who have the gallbladder removed may experience this syndrome.¹

Symptoms of postcholecystectomy syndrome may include:

• Upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting.
• Gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
• Persistent pain in the upper right abdomen.

You can ease diarrhea by taking the medicine cholestyramine.

If pain continues, you may have a problem caused by something other than the gallbladder or a gallstone. Other possible causes of abdominal pain include irritable bowel syndrome, stomach (peptic) ulcers, pancreatitis, or abdominal pain from an unknown cause.

References

Citations

1. Glasgow RE, Mulvihill SJ (2006). Treatment of gallstone disease. In M Feldman et al., eds., Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 8th ed., vol. 1, pp. 1419–1442. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.

Credits

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Peter J. Kahrilas, MD - Gastroenterology
Last Revised	July 22, 2009