Mr Damian McKay
Gallbladder Removal
Gallstones can be extremely painful and crippling for patients suffering from the condition. For many people gallbladder removal surgery (cholecystectomy) is the best course of treatment to relieve symptoms. At Kingsbridge Hospital, our experts can perform this surgery in our state-of-the-art-facilities.
At Kingsbridge Hospital, our experts perform gallbladder operations for patients from across Ireland in our state-of-the-art-facilities.
Costs
Costs can vary depending on the procedure and your personal treatment plan. We’ll give you a clear price guide upfront and explain what’s included.
Flexible payment options are available to help spread the cost. Our team is here to answer questions and help you choose the best way to pay.
Treatment/Surgery from:
£7,848.00
Prices accurate as of February 2025 and may be subject to change.
Finance from:
£189.77 per month
Explore Finance Options*Representative Example: Total amount of Credit £7,848.00. Total charge for credit £3,538.20. Total Amount Repayable £11,386.20. Repayable by 60 monthly payments of £189.77. Representative 16.9% APR. Example based upon treatment costing £7,848.00 repayable over 60 months. Acceptance is subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.
Steps to get started
Our team will support you through every stage, from your first enquiry to your recovery.
If you’re using health insurance
Check with your provider to see what’s covered. We’re happy to help with any paperwork and can work directly with many insurance companies to make the process smoother for you.
If you’re paying for treatment yourself or using a payment plan
We’ll give you clear information about costs and help you plan your care. You’ll know exactly what to expect, with no hidden fees.
Book an Appointment
To make things easier, you can book a new consultation appointment online.
Our Locations
Quality care, wherever you are. Get directions to all our locations.
What Do I Need To Know?
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped pouch in the upper-right part of your abdomen (tummy). Its purpose is to store bile, which is the digestive fluid manufactured by the liver that helps to break down fatty foods.
Bile is made from a mixture of bile salts, cholesterol and waste products.
When these substances are out of balance, small, hard stones called gallstones can form in the gallbladder causing discomfort and pain.
For some people, gallstones can either become lodged in the ducts of the gallbladder or move out into other parts of the body.
This can cause irritation and inflammation of the gallbladder and a range of symptoms which may include:
- Sudden intense pain in the abdomen
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes)
- Sickness and a feeling of needing to be sick
There are several non-surgical ways to break down gallstones, but they are very ineffective and are rarely a viable option.
For most people with painful gallstones it is recommended that they have gallbladder surgery to remove the gallstones.
Meet Our Gallbladder Removal Consultants
At Kingsbridge, you’ll be in the expert hands of over 300 of the UK and Ireland’s top Consultants.
Types of Gallbladder Removal Surgery Available
At Kingsbridge Hospital we offer two types of gallbladder removal surgery. Your consultant will help you decide which type of surgery is right for you.
Laparoscopic (Keyhole) Cholecystectomy
This is the most common type of gall bladder operation. It involves using a tiny camera and surgical instruments that are inserted through small cuts (incisions) in your abdomen.
Recovery time for this type of surgery is greatly reduced compared to open surgery.
Recovery time for this type of surgery is greatly reduced compared to open surgery.
Open Cholecystectomy
In open cholecystectomy the gallbladder removal is through one large incision in your abdomen.
This technique is called open surgery. It is a more invasive gall bladder operation than keyhole surgery. You will need to be in hospital for longer and it will take longer to recover.
Open surgery is usually only used if there are medical reasons why laparoscopic cholecystectomy cannot be performed safely, or if your surgeon decides that it would be safer to switch to open surgery during the procedure.
Both techniques are usually carried out under a general anaesthetic, so you will be asleep during the gall bladder operation and will feel no pain.
This technique is called open surgery. It is a more invasive gall bladder operation than keyhole surgery. You will need to be in hospital for longer and it will take longer to recover.
Open surgery is usually only used if there are medical reasons why laparoscopic cholecystectomy cannot be performed safely, or if your surgeon decides that it would be safer to switch to open surgery during the procedure.
Both techniques are usually carried out under a general anaesthetic, so you will be asleep during the gall bladder operation and will feel no pain.
What Happens After Gallbladder Removal Surgery?
Recovering From Gallbladder Removal Surgery
It doesn’t take long to recover from laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Most people will be able to leave Kingsbridge Hospital on the same day or the next morning.
You should be able to get back to normal activities within two weeks and it should be safe to do strenuous exercise after a month.
It takes much longer to recover from an open cholecystectomy. It may be three to five days before you can leave hospital and it could be six weeks before you are feeling back to normal.
After Your Gall Bladder Operation
You can lead a perfectly normal life without having a gallbladder. It is not an essential organ in the body and the liver will still produce bile to digest food.
Some people however may have symptoms of bloating and diarrhoea after eating fatty or spicy food. If certain foods do trigger symptoms, you may wish to avoid them in the future.
Some people may also experience pain and indigestion as a result of a stone being left inside a bile duct. This will require further surgery to remove the stone.
At Kingsbridge Hospital our experienced team of experts will be able to give you advice and support before deciding to have surgery. They will also discuss any concerns you have about surgery or questions about recovery following surgery.
Complications
Both laparoscopic and open cholecystectomies are generally safe procedures with a low risk of complications. Your Consultant will discuss any concerns you have at your appointment at Kingsbridge Hospital.
The most common complication is infection at the site of the incision. This happens in around 1 in 15 cases.