Gallbladder Disease and Gallbladder Surgery

If you have pain in your upper right abdomen that does not go away, your gallbladder might be the cause. It is small but it can cause major problems if disease sets in.

At Banner Health, our team offers expert care for digestive problems, including gallbladder disease. We help you understand your symptoms and guide you through each step so you can feel better and get back to your life.

What is gallbladder disease?

Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ located under your liver. It stores bile, a liquid made by your liver to help digest fats in your food.

When you eat, your gallbladder squeezes bile into your small intestine. Usually, you don’t feel it working. But if something irritates your gallbladder, it can cause pain and other issues.

Gallbladder disease happens when your gallbladder gets inflamed, infected or blocked. This can start in the gallbladder or in the bile ducts connected to it. Any infection or blockage in these ducts can back up into the gallbladder or other parts. 

Types of gallbladder disease

Gallbladder disease includes several conditions. Each one affects your body in its own way but they all can cause pain and digestive problems. 

• Gallstones (cholelithiasis): Gallstones are small, hard pieces that form from bile in the body. They can be as tiny as a grain of sand or as big as a golf ball. Some people have gallstones but do not feel sick. Others may suddenly experience pain if a stone blocks the flow of bile. This blockage can cause swelling, infection or severe pain, especially after eating fatty foods.
• Inflammation of the gallbladder (acute cholecystitis): Cholecystitis happens when your gallbladder gets swollen and irritated. This usually happens when a gallstone blocks the opening of the gallbladder. You might feel steady pain in your upper right abdomen (belly), along with fever, nausea or vomiting. 
• Blocked bile ducts (choledocholithiasis): Sometimes a gallstone leaves the gallbladder and gets stuck in a bile duct. This blocks the normal flow of bile from your liver to your small intestine. You might notice yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice), dark urine or pale stools. A blocked bile duct can cause a serious infection that could be life-threatening.
• Gallbladder polyps: Sometimes, small growths called polyps form inside the gallbladder wall. Most polyps are not cancer and don’t cause problems. But larger polyps may be removed, just to be safe.
• Gallbladder cancer (rare): Gallbladder cancer is rare but serious. It usually doesn’t cause symptoms during early stages. When symptoms do happen, they may feel similar to gallstones. 

What are the symptoms of gallbladder disease?

Gallbladder symptoms can happen suddenly. The most common sign is pain in the upper right part of the abdomen.

This pain often follows a pattern called biliary colic. Although colic usually means cramping, biliary colic pain is typically steady and intense. It occurs when a gallstone temporarily blocks the gallbladder opening. 

You might notice:

• Pain that spreads to your back or right shoulder
• Pain that starts after eating, especially fatty or fried foods
• Pain that lasts 30 minutes to several hours
• Nausea or vomiting

Biliary pain often gets better when the stone moves or the blockage clears. If the stone gets stuck, it can lead to inflammation or infection.

As gallbladder disease worsens, you might also notice:

• Fever or chills
• Ongoing belly tenderness
• Bloating
• Indigestion
• Yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice)
• Dark urine or pale stools

If your pain lasts more than a few hours, becomes severe or is combined with fever or jaundice, get medical help right away. These can be signs of a serious problem that needs urgent treatment. 

What causes gallstones?

Gallstones are the most common cause of gallbladder disease. Gallstones form when bile has too much cholesterol or bilirubin. They can also form if your gallbladder does not empty fully. 

You may be more likely to develop gallbladder disease if you:

• Are female
• Are over age 40
• Are Native American or of Hispanic or Mexican origin
• Are overweight or obese
• Lose weight very quickly
• Eat a high-fat diet
• Have diabetes
• Have a family history of gallstones
• Are pregnant
• Take medications that contain estrogen (oral contraceptives or hormone therapy)
• Have certain blood disorders (sickle cell anemia)
• Have liver disease

How is gallbladder disease diagnosed?

Your health care provider will first ask about your symptoms. They will want to know when the pain began, how long it lasts and what makes it worse. 

You may need tests, including:

• Blood tests to check for infection, inflammation or liver problems
• An abdominal ultrasound to look for gallstones
• An endoscope ultrasound (EUS) to identify smaller stones missed by an abdominal ultrasound
• A CT scan if more detail is needed
• A HIDA scan (cholescintigraphy or scan of your gallbladder, liver and bile ducts) to see how well your gallbladder works
• An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) that uses dye to highlight the bile ducts and pancreatic duct on X-ray images

Can gallbladder disease be treated without surgery?

In some cases, yes. If your symptoms are mild or this is your first attack, your provider might suggest treatment without surgery. The goal of non-surgical treatment is to rest your gallbladder. When the gallbladder rests, it doesn't have to squeeze and release bile. This can help lower pressure, reduce pain and cut down on swelling.

Lifestyle changes

If your symptoms are mild, simple changes may help:

• Eat smaller, low-fat meals
• Avoid fried and greasy foods
• Limit heavy, rich meals

Medical treatment

If you have a painful attack or signs of inflammation, you might need to go to the hospital. Treatment focuses on calming the gallbladder and preventing infection. This may include:

• Fasting (not eating or drinking)
• IV fluids to prevent dehydration
• Prescription pain relief
• Antibiotics if infection is suspected

When do you need gallbladder surgery?

Resting the gallbladder can help relieve symptoms but it does not get rid of gallstones or fix structural problems. Gallstones often cause repeated attacks.

You might need surgery if you have:

• Repeated gallbladder attacks
• Severe pain
• Infection
• A blocked bile duct
• Inflammation that doesn't get better

Gallbladder removal surgery is called a cholecystectomy. It is one of the most common surgeries in the United States. Most people recover quickly and feel much better after the surgery.

You can live a normal life without your gallbladder. Your liver will still make bile; however, it will go straight into your small intestine instead of being stored.

What happens during gallbladder surgery?

Most gallbladder surgeries are done using laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This is a less invasive surgery that uses small incisions (cuts) and a tiny camera to take out the gallbladder. Because the cuts are small, you might have less pain, smaller scars and a faster recovery. The surgery usually takes about an hour.

Sometimes, your doctor might need to switch to open surgery. This involves a larger cut. It’s less common but may be needed if there is a serious infection or scar tissue.

What is recovery like after gallbladder removal?

Many people go home the same day as surgery or after a short hospital stay. After surgery, you may feel mild pain near the incision site and shoulder pain from the gas used during surgery. You may notice loose stools (poop) for a short time. This usually improves as your body adjusts. 

Your provider will give you clear instructions about:

• Caring for your incisions
• When to shower
• When to drive
• When to return to work and normal activities
• When to lift heavy objects

Once the gallbladder is removed, most people find relief from their pain right away. 

Are there risks with gallbladder surgery?

All surgeries carry some risk. But gallbladder removal is very safe. 

Possible risks include:

• Bleeding
• Infection 
• Injury to nearby organs
• Bile leakage

These problems are rare. Your surgical team will review your personal risk before surgery and answer all your questions. 

When should you call your health care provider?

After surgery, call your provider if you have:

• Fever over 101°F
• Severe belly pain
• Redness or drainage from your incision
• Yellowing of your skin or eyes
• Repeated vomiting

Choose Banner Health for gallbladder care

When you are in pain, you want answers quickly. Early treatment can prevent serious complications. 

At Banner Health, we offer board-certified surgeons, advanced surgical options, coordinated care and compassionate support before, during and after surgery. Make an appointment with a Banner Health specialist. We will help you find relief and help you feel like yourself again.