The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road, SW1W 8RH London
Cholecystectomy
GALLBLADDER REMOVAL
If you need to have your gallbladder removed, HCA UK provides open cholecystectomy
What is a cholecystectomy?
Your gallbladder is a small organ (body part) that stores bile, a liquid which helps you digest fatty food.
Sometimes small stones called gallstones forms inside your gallbladder. These often cause no symptoms and you may not even know you have them. However, they can sometimes block the flow of bile and irritate your gall bladder (acute cholecystitis) or pancreas (acute pancreatitis).
If you get these conditions, the symptoms are:
- sudden, very severe tummy pain
- nausea and vomiting
- jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
Surgery to remove the gall bladder (cholecystectomy) is the most effective treatment option.
You can live without a gallbladder as your liver will still make bile.
Need to know
Your GP or consultant will assess your condition and depending on your symptoms (especially if your gallstones are causing pain), a cholecystectomy will be carried out.
There are two types of cholecystectomy – laparoscopic (keyhole) and open. This type of operation is usually carried out laparoscopically, however, upon discussion with your consultant, and depending on your condition, it may be planned that you have an open cholecystectomy, which is a larger cut in your abdomen, to remove your gallbladder.
Compared to keyhole surgery, the recovery time for open surgery is usually longer.
Open cholecystectomy is generally a very safe procedure. However, as with any surgery, there are some risks and side effects involved. Your consultant will explain these to you and answer any questions you might have.
Open cholecystectomy is carried out under a general anaesthetic which means you'll be asleep during the provedure.
Afterwards, the area will be closed with stitches or staples. We will let you know in advance how long to avoid eating and drinking before your surgery.
After the procedure, you will be taken to the recovery unit, where our dedicated team will look after you. You will be given pain relief medication if needed.
After your open cholecystectomy, you will usually be required to stay in hospital for three to five days. Your consultant or specialist nurse will let you know when you can leave the hospital.
You will be advised on how to manage your recovery and when you can get back to your usual daily routines, but most people make a full recovery within six to eight weeks. Some patients may also experience bloating or diarrhoea after surgery, which usually improves within a few weeks.
Our Cholecystectomy locations
The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
London Digestive Centre
41 Welbeck Street W1G 8EA London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.