Guide to gallbladder surgery

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Surgery: Gallbladder

15 min read

Last updated:

24/04/2026

Lisa Robertson Freelance Health information editor

What is the gallbladder?

Your gallbladder is a small organ in the top part of your tummy (abdomen). It sits between your liver and your small intestine. It stores a liquid called bile , which helps you to digest fats in the food you eat.

What is gallbladder surgery, and why might I need it?

Gallbladder surgery usually means removing your whole gallbladder. The medical name for this is cholecystectomy (pronounced co-le-sis-tec-tomy). It is a common operation, and you can continue to live a normal life after you have had your gallbladder removed.

The most common reason for needing gallbladder surgery is gallstones. Gallstones are small stones that form in your gallbladder. They can also form in the tubes that connect your gallbladder to your other organs (bile ducts). Gallstones do not always cause symptoms and you may not need surgery. Many people have them without knowing. However, if you have a lot of pain, you may need to have your gallbladder removed.

Less common reasons for gallbladder surgery include cancer and other growths.

Different types of gallbladder surgery

There are two main types of gallbladder surgery:

keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery
open surgery

Both types of gallbladder surgery happen under general anaesthetic. This means you will be asleep during the operation and will not feel anything.

Most gallbladder removal is done by keyhole surgery. You might hear this being called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The surgeon makes some small cuts in your tummy area. They gently pump air into your tummy to make some space.

They put a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera on the end (a laparoscope) through one of the cuts. The camera sends video images to a screen so the surgeon can see inside your tummy. They then use small tools to remove your gallbladder through the cuts. At the end of the operation, they let out the extra air and close the cuts with stitches.

Sometimes, gallbladder removal may need to be done by open surgery . The surgeon makes a large cut across the right side of your tummy. They remove your gallbladder through this opening. At the end of the operation, they close the cut with stitches.

You may already know you are going to have open surgery rather than keyhole surgery. This may be because your gallbladder is very inflamed or because you have had lots of surgery on your tummy before. Open surgery may also be used if your gallbladder is being removed because of cancer.

Occasionally, the surgeon may need to switch to open surgery during keyhole surgery. They will talk to you about the possibility of this before your operation.

How do I get gallbladder surgery?

If your doctor has confirmed that you have gallstones, they will talk to you about your treatment options. They may suggest some changes to your diet or lifestyle before thinking about surgery. However, if you are in a lot of pain, they may recommend gallbladder removal as soon as they have diagnosed your gallstones.

You can have gallbladder surgery through the NHS or at a private hospital. Your doctor will refer you to the right department if you are having NHS treatment. Because it is a common operation, it is available at many private hospitals.

You can search for private hospitals offering gallbladder surgery near you from our homepage.

Before your procedure

Your surgeon will explain how you can get ready for your surgery. This will vary from person to person, but it may include:

stopping smoking
eating a low-fat or low-calorie diet
wearing compression stockings to lower the risk of blood clots

They will also give you instructions about when you can eat and drink before your surgery. For a general anaesthetic, this usually means stopping eating several hours before your surgery. You can usually drink water up to 2 hours before your surgery. These timings can vary, so always follow the instructions your own surgeon or care team gives you.

Before your surgery, you will usually have an appointment at the hospital to check you are well enough to have the operation. This may be called a pre-operative or pre-admission assessment.

This may involve:

measuring your height and weight
blood tests
a test to check your heart, called an electrocardiogram (ECG)

The doctor or nurse at this appointment will also ask whether:

you take any medicines
you have any other health conditions
you have any allergies

It is a good idea to think about what will happen after your surgery. You will need to plan how you are going to get home after the operation, as you will not be able to drive for a while. You should also have someone with you for the first day or two. Read the recovery section below and make any arrangements as soon as you know the date of your surgery.

If you are unsure about anything to do with your surgery, do not be afraid to ask your surgeon or anyone else in your care team at the hospital. They will be able to answer your questions and help you to feel prepared. You will need to sign a form to say you are happy for the surgeon to do your operation (consent). Therefore, it is important that you understand what is happening.

You will go into hospital on the day of the operation or the day before. Remember to follow the instructions you have been given about eating and drinking before your surgery.

Exactly what happens on the day will vary between hospitals. The care team will look after you and let you know what is going to happen next. They will ask you a few questions and do some checks.

When everything is ready, a doctor will give you the general anaesthetic. This is usually an injection through a small tube into a vein in your arm. You will fall asleep quite quickly, usually within a minute. You will not feel anything or be aware of anything until after the surgery.

Gallbladder removal usually takes about 1 hour. Open surgery may take longer than keyhole surgery.

After your surgery, you will be taken to a recovery room until you are fully awake. The care team will keep checking your blood pressure, your pulse and the cuts where you had the operation. When you are comfortable, they will take you to your room to continue your recovery.

You may be able to go home the same day or you may need to stay in hospital for a night.

Recovery and what to expect after your surgery

Most people recover quickly after gallbladder surgery, but this will vary between people. Your surgeon will tell you what you can do to help your recovery. It will take longer to recover from open surgery than it will from keyhole surgery.

You should rest and have someone with you for the first day or two. Having a general anaesthetic affects people differently. You may feel confused, emotional or tired. These effects should wear off after a few days. In the meantime, do not drive, use machinery, drink alcohol or make any important decisions.

You may have pain where the surgery was done. You can usually take painkillers for a few days to help with this. Ask your doctor what you can take and follow the instructions.

You may feel bloated or uncomfortable from the air that was pumped into your tummy. You may also feel this in your shoulder. This should go away by itself within a few days.

After gallbladder surgery, you may feel sick, have indigestion, feel bloated or have diarrhoea. This is sometimes called post-cholecystectomy syndrome. These symptoms usually go away on their own.

If you have keyhole surgery, your surgeon may close your cuts with glue or stitches that dissolve on their own. If they use stitches that do not dissolve, you will need to see a nurse about a week after your surgery to have them removed. If you have open surgery, you are likely to have stitches that need removing. The care team will tell you about this before you leave the hospital.

You may or may not have a dressing over your stitches. The care team will tell you how to look after any dressings before you leave the hospital.

Do not drive until you are able to do an emergency stop without any pain or discomfort. Check your car insurance policy to see if there are any rules about when you can and cannot drive after surgery. Do not drive if you are taking painkillers that make you sleepy.

Going back to work

You may be able to go back to work around 2 weeks after keyhole surgery. This will depend on the type of work you do and how well you recover. It will be longer if you have had open surgery. You will also need more time if your job involves a lot of standing or heavy lifting. Your surgeon and care team will be able to advise you.

Follow-ups

Your care team will tell you if you need to have any follow-up appointments. This will depend on why you are having the surgery and what type of surgery it is.

You may need to see a nurse to remove stitches or take off your dressing about a week after your surgery (see above).

Possible complications

Gallbladder surgery is common and safe. Most people do not have any complications. But there are risks with any operation, and your doctor will explain these to you.

Possible complications with gallbladder surgery include:

bleeding or infection while the cuts are healing
blood clots or deep vein thrombosis
damage to your other organs
damage to the tubes connecting your organs (bile ducts), causing bile to leak into your tummy

Tell your doctor or hospital team if you feel very unwell after your operation or if your symptoms do not go away when you expect them to.

Follow the NHS guidance on when to get urgent help after gallbladder surgery.

How much does gallbladder surgery cost?

The average cost of private gallbladder surgery is between £5,000 and £8,000. This can vary between hospitals and individual surgeons. Some hospitals offer a ‘package’ for the surgery and any appointments before and after. Some may charge separately for each consultation.

Read our guide on private hospital pricing in the UK.

Find a private hospital near you that offers gallbladder surgery.

Many private healthcare insurance policies will cover gallbladder surgery. However, this may depend on why you need the surgery and when you took out the insurance. Check with your insurer whether you will be covered.

Read our frequently asked questions about private healthcare in the UK.

What is it like to have gallbladder surgery?

Most people recover fully within a few months after gallbladder surgery.

If you have had surgery because of gallstones, you are likely to feel relieved that you are no longer in pain. Being free from pain can lead you to feel better in yourself overall. You should be able to enjoy the activities you used to enjoy before your symptoms started. You may sleep better and be able to eat normally again.

Ask your doctor about whether surgery is the right option for you and what difference it is likely to make.