Gallbladder Surgery

Each procedure below is one our surgeons perform. Whether any of them is right for you is a decision you make with your surgeon.

• Biliary Dyskinesia

  A functional gallbladder disorder that affects motility — the gallbladder's ability to move bile out into the bile ducts. More rarely the small muscle where the bile conduit empties into the intestine is affected. Reduced motility can cause bile to back up, much as if a gallstone were blocking it. It is diagnosed when no other cause explains the symptoms.

• Cholelithiasis (gallstones)

  Gallstones are hardened pieces of bile that form in the gallbladder or bile ducts. They are common, especially in women. Gallstones do not always cause problems, but they can if they become stuck in the biliary tract and block bile flow. When gallstones cause symptoms, treatment to remove them — typically surgery — is usually needed.

• Cholecystitis

  Swelling and irritation, called inflammation, of the gallbladder. Most often it is caused by gallstones blocking the tube leading out of the gallbladder, which causes bile to build up. Other causes include bile duct changes, tumors, serious illness, and certain infections.

Common reasons patients are referred

• Gallstones found on an ultrasound or other imaging
• Repeated pain in the upper right abdomen after meals
• An abnormal gallbladder function study
• An emergency department visit for gallbladder pain

When professional evaluation may be appropriate

• Pain in the upper right abdomen, often after fatty meals
• Nausea or vomiting along with that pain
• Pain that spreads to the right shoulder or back
• Severe pain with fever, chills, or yellowing of the skin or eyes — seek immediate medical attention