Laparoscopic gallbladder removal: what happens, risks and recovery

The gallbladder stores bile made by the liver. When stones block the duct, the result can be biliary colic: the NHS describes severe pain in the middle of the abdomen or just below the right ribs that can last longer than 30 minutes and up to several hours, often with nausea or vomiting. Stones can also cause inflammation of the gallbladder, called acute cholecystitis, which a Milton Keynes leaflet gives as a reason for surgery.

The NHS says no treatment is needed if gallstones cause no symptoms, so a stone found by chance on a scan is usually left alone. Surgery is recommended when symptoms are present, when complications develop or when stones are in the common bile duct. Until then, simple painkillers and a lower-fat diet can help.

The Milton Keynes leaflet notes that medicines to dissolve stones exist but are not reliable in the long term, and that removing the gallbladder is the only way to remove the stones permanently. If stones have travelled into the bile duct, the NHS describes a separate procedure called ERCP, using an endoscope to widen the duct opening, which may be done before or alongside the operation.

You can live without a gallbladder. Bile flows straight from the liver to the intestine instead. Some people notice looser stools or indigestion with fatty meals, usually temporary.

You will have a pre-assessment, with blood tests and an anaesthetic review. The Milton Keynes leaflet states that you must not eat or drink, or chew gum, before the operation; follow your own unit's timings. The NHS says admission is on the day of surgery or the day before.

• Bring a list of regular medicines; some, such as blood thinners, may need to be stopped.

• Arrange an adult to take you home and stay for the first 24 hours, as the NHS advises.

• Wear loose clothes that will not press on the cuts.

• Tell the team if you have had upper abdominal operations before.

Gas is used to lift the abdominal wall away from the organs, a thin tube with a camera is passed through a small cut at the navel, and instruments go through other cuts. The Milton Keynes leaflet describes three to four small cuts. The surgeon clips the duct and artery to the gallbladder and then removes it through one of the cuts.

The NHS says open surgery through a larger cut is kept for a severely inflamed gallbladder or when keyhole removal is not possible, and brings more discomfort and a longer recovery. Surgeons sometimes switch from keyhole to open during the operation if it is unsafe to continue; consent forms mention this. The Milton Keynes leaflet quotes a 5% conversion risk.

The NHS names blood clots in the legs, wound infection, damage to the bile duct or other organs, bile leakage and stones left behind. It says the risk of infection is small and usually treated with antibiotics, and that your chance of problems depends on age and general health. The Milton Keynes leaflet quotes organ damage at 1 in 2,000, bile leaks at 1% and bile duct damage at 0.5%; these are one hospital's figures, so ask your surgeon for theirs.

The NHS describes post-cholecystectomy syndrome: nausea, indigestion, abdominal pain and diarrhoea that usually settle quickly.

Wounds are sore for several days, and shoulder-tip pain from the gas can occur. The NHS says most people return to work in 1 to 2 weeks, with longer for heavy or standing jobs, and not to drive until you can do an emergency stop without pain or discomfort. The Milton Keynes leaflet says heavy lifting should wait a week, desk work about 2 weeks and manual work about 4.

Call NHS 111 or your GP for worsening pain, a fever, yellow skin or eyes, a wound that discharges, or a swollen, tender leg. Call 999 if leg symptoms come with breathlessness or chest pain. The timeline page has a staged view.

The operation is the same in both settings. Urgent gallbladder problems, such as an inflamed gallbladder, are managed through the emergency route regardless of insurance, while planned removal is where waiting times and choice of surgeon differ. Ask about aftercare cover for private packages.

• Are my stones the only reason for my symptoms?

• Do I need any test of the bile duct beforehand?

• How often do you convert to open surgery?

• Who do I call if I feel unwell after discharge?