Gallbladder removal is the most popular treatment for gallstones that cause moderate to severe pain and/or other symptoms. Very occasionally, surgery may be done to prevent complications from gallstones, like duct blockage.
Surgery is generally required if:
- Your gallbladder becomes inflamed or infected.
- Gallstones cause repeated episodes of pain.
- There are polyps (growths) in the gallbladder that are larger than 0.4 inch.
- Gallstones cause an inflammation in the pancreas.
- The gallbladder wall has calcified, also known as porcelain gallbladder.
- You have gallbladders and an impaired immune system.
You may also need your gallbladder removed if you have sickle cell disease — people with sickle cell disease are more likely to form gallstones than people without. A family history of gallbladder cancer can put you at a higher risk of gallbladder cancer. Doctors occasionally recommend gallbladder surgery for women who are trying to become pregnant if there is a concern that gallbladder symptoms will become worse during pregnancy.
If you want to know the official name for a gallbladder removal, here it is: cholecystectomy.
The most common type of gallbladder removal surgery is laparoscopic. Several small incisions are made in your stomach; the surgeon inserts surgical tools and a small, lighted instrument (the laparoscope) through these cuts. Recovery time with laparoscopic surgery is quick. Many people who have their gallbladder removed this way are back to their normal routines (including work) within a few days. Laparoscopic surgery is often a same-day surgery procedure.
When laparoscopic surgery is not an option, your doctor may perform open gallbladder surgery. Open surgery is often the best choice for people who have difficulty with blood clotting, people with abnormal anatomy, and people with scarring from previous surgeries. After open surgery, a person may need to stay in the hospital for two to four days and need a month or more for complete recovery.
Approximately fifteen percent of people who have symptoms from gallstones also have gallstones in the common bile duct. Gallstones in the common bile duct can cause life threatening complications; they will be removed during gallbladder surgery if they are discovered.
A new surgical procedure called needlescopic or mini-laparoscopic surgery is currently being studied. Very small instruments are used to remove the gallbladder; this type of surgery may cause less pain and have an even faster recovery time than traditional laparoscopic surgery.
After the gallbladder has been removed, symptoms generally do not return.