Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal): what it is, recovery and diet

A cholecystectomy is the operation to remove the gallbladder. The NHS describes the gallbladder as a small organ in the top part of the tummy that helps you digest food. NHS inform adds that its main job is to store and concentrate bile, a liquid made by the liver that helps digest fats.

Without a gallbladder the liver still makes bile. NHS inform says it simply drips continuously into the small intestine instead of building up in the gallbladder, which is why you can lead a perfectly normal life without one.

The NHS recovery advice is simple: eat a normal, healthy diet. You may find it easier to eat small meals for the first few days.

NHS inform adds that some people experience bloating and diarrhoea after eating fatty or spicy food, and that if certain foods do trigger symptoms, you may wish to avoid them in future. There is no single list of banned foods; keeping a note of what sets off symptoms can help you decide.

The NHS also describes a group of symptoms sometimes called post-cholecystectomy syndrome: feeling or being sick, indigestion, tummy pain and diarrhoea. They usually improve soon after the operation, but contact your GP or care team if they continue, as you may need tests and medicines to help.

• First few days: small, simple meals if large ones feel uncomfortable.

• Afterwards: a normal, healthy diet.

• If fatty or spicy foods bring on bloating or diarrhoea, you may choose to avoid them.

• Persistent sickness, indigestion, tummy pain or diarrhoea: speak to your GP or care team.

Gallstones are the usual reason. The NHS says gallstones are common and often cause no symptoms, but if they block a bile duct they can cause severe tummy pain (biliary colic). The main treatment for gallstones that cause symptoms or complications is cholecystectomy.

The NHS says you may need treatment if you have symptoms of gallstones, have complications such as inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) or pancreas (pancreatitis) or jaundice, or if stones are found in the common bile duct. Stones in the common bile duct may instead be cleared with a procedure called ERCP.

While waiting for surgery the NHS says you may take painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, avoid foods that cause symptoms and be advised to eat a low-fat diet.

You will go into hospital on the day of the operation or the day before, and must not eat or drink beforehand so your stomach is empty. The NHS says you will have a general anaesthetic, so you are asleep, and the operation usually takes about 1 hour.

The NHS says you can usually go home on the same day, but some people stay overnight. You may be given medicines for pain, and told whether you need a follow-up to have stitches removed, as some stitches dissolve.

Ask a friend or relative to drive you home and to stay with you for the first 24 hours. Take painkillers, as the wounds will be painful for a few days, start light activity and build up gradually, and avoid strenuous exercise. Follow the wound care advice you are given. Do not drive until you can do an emergency stop without pain or discomfort, and check your insurance policy for rules about driving after surgery.

You may be able to return to work 1 to 2 weeks after surgery, depending on the type of work and surgery. Heavy lifting or standing for long periods may mean a longer wait.

The NHS describes gallbladder removal as a common and safe procedure, though as with any operation there are risks. Your chance of problems depends on your age and general health.

• Blood clots or deep vein thrombosis (DVT); you may be advised to wear compression stockings or take anticoagulant medicine.

• Wound infection; the NHS says the risk is small and is usually treated with antibiotics.

• Damage to internal organs or bile ducts, which is a small chance but may need further surgery.

• Bile leaking into the tummy, which is rare and needs another operation to drain it.

• Gallstones left in the bile ducts or tummy, which may cause pain or jaundice and need further treatment.

The NHS says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have severe or worsening pain that does not go away, pus oozing from wounds, pain or swelling around the wounds or they are red and tender, yellow skin or whites of the eyes, swelling, tenderness, throbbing or cramping pain in a leg, or a very high temperature or feeling hot, cold or shivery.

Call 999 or go to A&E if you have pain and swelling in a leg and are having difficulty breathing or chest pains, as this could be a blood clot in the lungs.

On the NHS the route is usually from a GP to a hospital surgeon, often after an ultrasound scan and blood tests. Waiting times vary by area and urgency. Private hospitals also offer gallbladder removal, with different timings and charges, so ask what is included in the price, such as the consultation, scans and follow-up.