Gallbladder removal (2024)

FAQs

Is there a downside to having your gallbladder removed? ›

When the gallbladder is removed, special clips are used to seal the tube that connects the gallbladder to the main bile duct. But bile fluid can occasionally leak out into the tummy (abdomen) after the gallbladder is removed. Symptoms of a bile leak include tummy pain, feeling sick, a fever and a swollen tummy.

You can lead a perfectly normal life without a gallbladder. Your liver will still make enough bile to digest your food, but instead of being stored in the gallbladder, it drips continuously into your digestive system.

You can live perfectly normally without a gallbladder, so there aren't usually any long-term effects from gallbladder removal surgery.

Your doctor may recommend surgery if: You have repeated gallstone attacks. The pain from the attacks is severe. You have complications, such as inflammation of the gallbladder or the pancreas.

While you can survive without a gallbladder, you'll likely need to make some adjustments to your lifestyle and eating habits to avoid any problems. With these changes, you probably won't notice any major differences in your day-to-day life after having your gallbladder removed.

Gall bladder removal does not shorten your life expectancy. In fact, it may even increase it as your post-surgery habits make it necessary for you to make healthier dietary choices.

Tell your doctor ALL the medicines and natural health products you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your surgery. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the surgery and how soon to do it. Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance care plan.

Gallbladder problems usually linger, and the inflammation takes its toll on your body and energy reserves. The vast majority of gallbladder removal patients feel much better after a week or two than they did before the operation.

Do I need my gallbladder? The gallbladder is not considered an essential organ. You can live without one. Bile can be passed to the small intestine through other paths.

For the most part, you'll need to limit or avoid high-fat, oily, greasy, and processed foods, which are harder for your body to digest after the surgery. You may not need to make these changes forever. In the months after the procedure, you'll probably be able to slowly add some of these foods back into your diet.

What foods should you avoid if you have no gallbladder? ›

Some foods tend to cause more problems than others following gallbladder removal. You should avoid some foods that are less easily digested and cause gastrointestinal symptoms. The main foods you need to avoid are those high in fat, processed and sugary.

However, some people experience persistent issues known as post-cholecystectomy syndrome. Long-term effects of gallbladder removal include diarrhea, fatty food intolerance, gas, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, and intermittent episodes of abdominal pain.

Gallstones can appear in a person of any age, but historically the average age when they became a problem was in a person's forties, fifties or sixties. Today, patients with symptomatic gallstones tend to be in their thirties or forties. Surgeons today have even had to remove gallbladders from teenagers.

If you choose not to have this procedure, symptoms related to your gallbladder/gallstones may continue, deteriorate or cause life-threatening complications. This includes pain, infection and inflammation, jaundice and pancreatitis.

Most people experience a temporary adjustment period in their digestive systems after gallbladder removal. For the first month or so, you might have more trouble digesting fats and heavier meals. This should gradually improve over time. Most people are able to resume a normal, healthy diet after their recovery.

Without the gallbladder, the body cannot store as much bile, and it does not break down as much fat. A person may experience temporary weight loss following gallbladder removal surgery. However, some research indicates that they may experience weight gain in the long term.