The gallbladder is an organ located just below the liver. It stores bile, a fluid made by the liver that helps digest fats. Bile also carries waste products like cholesterol and bilirubin, which form gallstones when present in excess. Gallstones can vary in size from a tiny grain of sand to a golf ball. If untreated, they may cause severe complications that require urgent surgery.
The gold standard treatment for multiple or large gallstones, especially with gallbladder inflammation, is laparoscopic gallbladder removal. This minimally invasive surgery causes less pain and allows faster recovery compared to traditional open surgery.
Sometimes, gallstones pass into the bile ducts and cause blockages. These stones are removed using a procedure called ERCP, followed by gallbladder removal.
The key benefits of laparoscopic surgery include minimal pain, no visible scars, and quick discharge—most patients leave the hospital within 36 hours. Normal activities can usually be resumed within a few days after surgery.