What is recovery like after laparoscopic gallbladder removal?

Doctor's Answers 2

Photo of Dr Wai Leong Quan
Dr Wai Leong Quan

Gastroenterologist

Depending on the nature of the surgery and pre-existing conditions of the individual, the recovery period can be within a few days to more than a week.

Assuming a minimally invasive surgery is done electively without any immediate complication, most patients are fit for discharge after 2-3 days.

Do expect some loose stools for the following 2-3 months post surgery especially after ingestion of oily food. This is the time required for the body to make adjustments without the gallbladder. Most people can resume their usual diet and activity after this period.

- Dr Quan

Photo of Dr Stephen Chang
Dr Stephen Chang

General Surgeon

With current advance laparoscopic instruments and techniques, laparoscopic gallbladder removal can have very minimal pain and 'downtime' after surgery. The current accepted advance laparoscopic gallbadder removal surgery involves the single incision key hole procedure where only one small puncture hole is made through the belly button to extract the gallbladder. This technique has been proven by my own study to have less pain¹ compared to conventional laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery. It is also proven to be safe.

I have since published the safe technique following review of my first 500 earliest patients². It is interesting to note that most patients are still not aware of such an option³.

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00268-010-0842-4

2. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Tips-and-tricks-to-avoid-bile-duct-injury-in-SILC%3A-Li-Kim/c1e4dc401787ce81db22c453fe4d0af5ce1b706d

3. http://www.clinicsinsurgery.com/pdfs_folder/cis-v2-id1828.pdf

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