Keyhole surgery
Laparoscopic gallbladder removal
Keyhole removal of the gallbladder — usually for gallstones causing pain, inflammation or blockage. Performed through four small ports.
In plain language
What this operation is
The gallbladder is a small sac under the liver that stores bile. When stones form in it, they can block the outlet — which is what causes the sudden, gripping pain under the right ribs that often comes on after a fatty meal and can spread to the back or right shoulder.
A laparoscopic cholecystectomy removes the gallbladder itself through four small incisions, using a camera and fine instruments. The stones go with it.
Who it is for
When this operation is advised
- Repeated attacks of pain under the right ribs, especially after fatty food
- Inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) confirmed on ultrasound
- A stone that has passed into the bile duct, or jaundice caused by one
- Pancreatitis caused by gallstones
- Gallbladder polyps above a certain size, or a thickened gallbladder wall
And when it is not. Stones found by chance with no symptoms at all often do not need surgery. Whether to operate is a judgement made with you, not automatic.
How it works
From assessment to follow-up
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01
Confirming it
An ultrasound usually shows the stones. Blood tests check liver function, and further imaging is used if a duct stone is suspected.
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02
Anaesthesia
The operation is done under general anaesthesia.
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03
The operation
Four small ports are made. The gallbladder is separated from the liver, its duct and artery are clipped, and it is removed through one of the ports.
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04
Going home
Many patients go home the same day or the next. A written discharge plan and wound-care guidance are given.
Afterwards
What recovery involves
Recovery differs between patients. What follows is what usually happens — your own timeframe is given at discharge, based on the operation you actually had.
- Most people are up and walking within hours of the operation.
- Shoulder-tip discomfort for a day or two is common — it comes from the gas used during surgery, not from the wound.
- How soon you return to work depends on the job and on how the operation went. A specific timeframe is given at discharge rather than promised beforehand.
- Fatty food is usually reintroduced gradually. Most people eat normally afterwards.
When to go to hospital instead
Fever with severe abdominal pain, yellowing of the eyes or skin, or vomiting that will not stop — go to a hospital rather than waiting for a chamber appointment.
Common questions
Questions patients ask
Anything not covered here can be answered at the consultation.
01 Why remove the whole gallbladder instead of just the stones?
Because a gallbladder that has formed stones tends to keep forming them. Removing only the stones leaves the organ that produced them, and the problem usually returns. This is why gallbladder removal — not stone removal — is the standard operation.
Why02 Can I live normally without a gallbladder?
Yes. The gallbladder stores bile; it does not make it. The liver continues producing bile, which then flows directly into the intestine. Most people eat normally afterwards, though some prefer to reintroduce very fatty food gradually.
After surgery03 Is keyhole always possible for the gallbladder?
Usually, but not always. Severe inflammation, dense scarring or unclear anatomy can make open surgery the safer choice. Occasionally that decision is made during the operation itself, for safety — and it is discussed with you beforehand as a possibility.
Approach04 পিত্তথলির পাথর কি ওষুধে গলে যায়?
বেশিরভাগ ক্ষেত্রেই না। কিছু বিশেষ ধরনের ছোট পাথরে ওষুধ কাজ করতে পারে, কিন্তু তা সময়সাপেক্ষ এবং পাথর আবার ফিরে আসতে পারে। যেসব পাথরে বারবার ব্যথা হয়, সেগুলোর ক্ষেত্রে অপারেশনই স্থায়ী সমাধান।
ওষুধNext step
Bring your reports to a consultation
Often one visit is enough to know whether an operation is needed at all.