Gallbladder stone treatment and laparoscopic gallbladder surgery in Neelankarai, ECR
Pain under the right ribs after meals? Learn about gallstone symptoms, tests and laparoscopic gallbladder removal with the surgeons at Healtree Hospital, ECR.
By the Healtree Hospital clinical team.
Gallstones are hard deposits that form in the gallbladder. Many cause no symptoms and need no treatment. Stones that cause pain, infection, jaundice or pancreatitis are treated by removing the gallbladder, usually by laparoscopic (key-hole) surgery. At Healtree Hospital, Neelankarai, ECR, gallstones are assessed with an ultrasound and blood tests, and the general surgeons perform laparoscopic gallbladder removal.
Symptoms
A gallstone attack (biliary colic) is a steady, severe pain in the upper right or middle of the abdomen, often after a fatty meal, lasting from 30 minutes to a few hours. It may spread to the right shoulder or back and come with nausea or vomiting.
When to seek urgent care
- Pain lasting more than a few hours, or with fever and chills (gallbladder infection)
- Yellow eyes or skin, dark urine or pale stools (a stone blocking the bile duct)
- Severe upper abdominal pain spreading to the back (possible pancreatitis)
Who gets gallstones
Gallstones are more common in women, after pregnancy, with excess weight, diabetes, rapid weight loss and a family history. They become more common with age.
Tests
- Abdominal ultrasound, the main test to find gallstones
- Liver function tests and blood counts
- Further scans, such as MRCP, if a stone in the bile duct is suspected
Treatment
Stones found by chance that cause no symptoms are usually left alone. Once gallstones cause symptoms, attacks tend to return, so removing the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) is the standard treatment. The body manages well without it.
- Laparoscopic cholecystectomy through three or four small incisions, usually with a hospital stay of one or two days
- Antibiotics and pain relief first if the gallbladder is infected
- Endoscopic removal of stones from the bile duct when needed, before or after surgery
See a specialist in Neelankarai, ECR
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. Our General & Laparoscopic Surgery team at Healtree Multi-Speciality Centre & Hospital can assess your situation. The hospital is open 24 hours.
Specialists: Dr. Habeeb Mohamed, Dr. V. Sarath Kumar
Related services: Laparoscopy, Ultrasound & Doppler, 24/7 Emergency Care
Frequently asked questions
- Can gallbladder stones be dissolved with medicine?
- Rarely. Medicines work only for small cholesterol stones, take months, and stones often return when they are stopped. For symptomatic gallstones, surgery is the reliable treatment.
- Do all gallstones need surgery?
- No. Gallstones that cause no symptoms are usually just watched. Surgery is advised once they cause pain, infection, jaundice or pancreatitis.
- Can I live normally without a gallbladder?
- Yes. Bile flows straight from the liver to the intestine. Some people notice looser stools after fatty meals for a few weeks, which usually settles.
- How long is recovery after laparoscopic gallbladder surgery?
- Most people go home within one or two days and return to normal activities in about one to two weeks.
- What should I eat if I have gallstones?
- Smaller, regular meals with less fried and fatty food may reduce attacks. Diet does not remove existing stones, so see a surgeon if you have symptoms.
Related reading
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