What is the cost of keyhole surgery for gallbladder removal in Singapore?

Doctor's Answers 1

For Singaporeans and Singapore PR’s, the cost of keyhole surgery for gallbladder removal is not prohibitive.

The restructured hospitals can offer the surgery at subsidised rates with minimal out of pocket expenses.

In private hospitals, many privately insured citizens and PR’s can get their surgery completely borne by their insurers. Those with partial coverage may utilise Medisave funds to cover all or nearly all the fees that are not covered by the insurer.

For foreigners who are not insured, the cost of the surgery may range from approximately $8,000 to $15,000 depending on which hospital, length of stay and complexity of the case.

Similar Questions

What is recovery like after laparoscopic gallbladder removal?

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.

Photo of Dr Wai Leong Quan

Answered By

Dr Wai Leong Quan

Gastroenterologist

Is it possible for gallstones to come back and cause pain, even after a gallbladder removal?

The primary function of the gallbladder is to temporarily store and, at the same time, concentrate the bile juice within. Unknown to many, bile juice is secreted by the liver and not the gallbladder. After leaving the liver, the bile juice enters and leaves the gallbladder through the cystic duct which connects the liver ducts to the gallbladder. We now understand that the gallbladder functions very similarly to a store room for spare bile. As such, removing the gallbladder will not have a great impact on one’s health and certainly should not cause a drastic deterioration.

Photo of Dr Wai Leong Quan

Answered By

Dr Wai Leong Quan

Gastroenterologist

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