Gallbladder surgery is called a cholecystectomy. It’s one of the most common surgeries performed worldwide, and it involves removing the gallbladder entirely rather than repairing it. Most people encounter the term when their doctor recommends the procedure for gallstones or gallbladder inflammation, and understanding what it involves can make the process feel less daunting.
Why It’s Called a Cholecystectomy
The name breaks down from Greek roots: “chole” (bile), “cyst” (bladder), and “ectomy” (removal). So cholecystectomy literally means “bile bladder removal.” You’ll sometimes see it abbreviated as “lap chole” in medical shorthand when it’s done laparoscopically, which is the most common approach today.
Reasons You Might Need One
The most common reason for a cholecystectomy is gallstones that cause symptoms like pain in the upper right abdomen, nausea, or vomiting after meals. But gallstones aren’t the only trigger. Doctors also recommend the surgery for gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis), gallstones that have migrated into the bile duct, large gallbladder polyps that could become cancerous, and gallstone-related inflammation of the pancreas. In some cases, concern about gallbladder cancer is enough to warrant removal.
Not every person with gallstones needs surgery. Gallstones that don’t cause symptoms, sometimes called “silent” gallstones, are typically left alone. Surgery becomes the recommendation when symptoms are recurring or when complications develop.
Laparoscopic vs. Open Surgery
There are two main approaches, and the distinction matters because recovery looks very different for each.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is by far the more common method. The surgeon makes a few small incisions in the abdomen, inflates the abdominal cavity with carbon dioxide gas to create working space, and uses a camera and specialized instruments inserted through small ports. The gallbladder is detached from the liver, its connecting duct and artery are clipped and cut, and the organ is placed in a small retrieval bag and pulled out through one of the ports. Most people go home the same day or the next morning.
Open cholecystectomy requires a larger incision under the right rib cage. It’s less common today but still necessary in certain situations, such as severe inflammation, scarring from previous surgeries, or complications that arise during a laparoscopic attempt. Recovery takes longer, typically requiring a hospital stay of a few days and several weeks before returning to normal activity.
What About Robotic Surgery?
Some hospitals now offer robotic-assisted cholecystectomy, where the surgeon controls robotic arms from a console. However, a 2025 analysis from the American College of Surgeons looking at over 737,000 Medicare patients found that bile duct injury was significantly higher with robotic procedures compared to standard laparoscopic ones. Complication and readmission rates were otherwise similar between the two, but reoperations occurred more often in the robotic group. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains the standard approach.
Risks and Complications
Cholecystectomy is considered safe, but no surgery is without risk. The most serious concern is bile duct injury, where the tube that carries bile from the liver to the small intestine is accidentally damaged. A systematic review of randomized trials found an overall bile duct injury rate of 0.2%, with major injuries occurring in just 0.1% of cases. That translates to roughly 1 in 500 surgeries for any injury and 1 in 1,000 for a serious one.
Other possible complications include infection at the incision sites, bleeding, and leakage of bile into the abdomen. These are uncommon, and most cholecystectomies proceed without any issues.
Recovery Timeline
After a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, most people return to light daily activities within a few days. Soreness around the incision sites and some shoulder pain from the gas used during surgery are normal and typically fade within a week. Most people can return to work within one to two weeks, depending on the physical demands of their job.
Open surgery recovery is slower. You can expect to spend two to three days in the hospital and need four to six weeks before resuming full activity. Heavy lifting is restricted for longer with either approach, but especially after an open procedure.
Digestion After Gallbladder Removal
Your gallbladder’s job is to store and concentrate bile, releasing it when you eat to help digest fat. Without it, bile drains continuously from the liver into the small intestine instead of being released in concentrated bursts. This works well enough for most meals, but it changes how your body handles fat.
In the weeks after surgery, fatty, fried, or greasy foods can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea because larger amounts of fat may go partially undigested. The continuous flow of bile into the intestines also has a mild laxative effect, which is why loose stools are common early on. To manage this, stick to smaller, more frequent meals and keep fat below 3 grams per serving for at least the first week. Lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains form the foundation of a good post-surgery diet.
Caffeine, dairy products, and very sweet foods can worsen diarrhea during this adjustment period. Gradually increasing soluble fiber from foods like oats and barley can help normalize bowel movements over time, though adding too much fiber too quickly may increase gas and cramping. Most people find their digestion settles within a few weeks to a few months.
Post-Cholecystectomy Syndrome
Some people continue to experience abdominal symptoms after surgery. This is called post-cholecystectomy syndrome, and it occurs in an estimated 5 to 47% of patients, a wide range that reflects differences in how the condition is defined across studies. Symptoms can include persistent pain similar to the pre-surgery gallbladder attacks, bloating, and digestive discomfort.
The causes vary. Sometimes a gallstone was left behind in the bile duct. In other cases, the sphincter of Oddi, a tiny muscular valve where bile enters the small intestine, doesn’t function properly after the gallbladder is removed. And some patients turn out to have an unrelated condition like acid reflux or functional digestive issues that was mimicking gallbladder problems all along. Diagnosis involves blood tests, imaging, and sometimes specialized procedures to evaluate bile flow and rule out other causes. If symptoms persist after surgery, further evaluation can usually identify the source.