Gallbladder Stone Surgery (Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy)

Gallstones are hard deposits that form in the gallbladder, a small organ under the liver that stores bile. Many people have no symptoms, but stones can cause attacks of pain, inflammation (cholecystitis), jaundice or pancreatitis.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, removal of the gallbladder through small cuts, is the standard treatment for symptomatic gallstones. You can live normally without a gallbladder; bile flows directly from the liver into the intestine.

• Repeated pain in the upper right abdomen, often after fatty meals
• Inflammation or infection of the gallbladder
• Gallstones causing jaundice or pancreatitis (after treatment of these conditions)
• Gallbladder polyps of concern

• Permanent relief from gallstone attacks
• Prevents complications such as infection, jaundice and pancreatitis
• Keyhole surgery means less pain and a short hospital stay

Before the procedure

An ultrasound confirms the stones. Blood tests, including liver function tests, are done. If a stone has slipped into the bile duct, it may first be removed by ERCP.

During the procedure

Under general anaesthesia, the surgeon removes the gallbladder through three or four small cuts. The operation usually takes about an hour.

After the procedure

You can usually eat light food and walk the same day and go home in a day or two.

Most people return to normal activities within one to two weeks.

• Start with light, low-fat meals and return to a normal diet gradually
• Avoid heavy lifting for a few weeks
• Report yellowing of the eyes, fever or worsening pain