When is it recommended?
- Biliary colic: upper-right abdominal pain, especially after fatty meals.
- Acute cholecystitis (inflamed gallbladder) or repeated attacks.
- Gallstone complications: biliary pancreatitis or treated common bile duct stones.
- Gallbladder polyps of 1 cm or larger, or porcelain gallbladder.
How it is done
- Under general anesthesia, a camera and fine instruments are introduced through 5–10 mm incisions.
- The biliary structures are carefully identified before the gallbladder is removed, to protect the bile duct.
- The gallbladder is removed through the navel, leaving minimal scars.
- Living without a gallbladder is completely normal: the liver keeps producing bile, which flows directly into the intestine.
Typical recovery
- Hospital stay
- Same day or 1 night
- Light activity
- 2–3 days
- Desk work
- 1 week
- Strenuous exercise
- 3–4 weeks
Warning signsGo to the emergency room if you have severe abdominal pain that does not ease, fever, yellow skin or eyes (jaundice) or dark urine.
Frequently asked questions
Can gallstones be removed without removing the gallbladder?
Not permanently. Stone-dissolving medication rarely works and stones form again. When there are symptoms, removing the gallbladder is the recommended treatment.
Will I need a special diet after surgery?
For the first few weeks it is best to avoid very fatty foods. After that, the vast majority of patients eat normally.
If my gallstones cause no symptoms, do I need surgery?
Usually not; it is assessed case by case. Some situations, such as diabetes or very large stones, may justify surgery.
Information on this site is educational and does not replace a medical consultation. In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency room.