That sharp pain under your right rib cage after eating? The nausea that hits after a fatty meal? The late-night emergency room visit that ends with an ultrasound showing gallstones?
You're not alone. More than 1 million gallbladder surgeries are performed in the United States each year, making cholecystectomy one of the most common surgical procedures in the country. If your doctor has told you it's time for your gallbladder to come out, understanding what to expect can help you feel more confident about the process.
At Lifetime Surgical in San Jose and Los Gatos, Dr. Richard Nguyen and Dr. Avery Joseph perform gallbladder surgery routinely using advanced laparoscopic and robotic techniques.
Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ tucked beneath your liver on the right side of your abdomen. Its primary job is to store and concentrate bile — a digestive fluid produced by the liver that helps break down fats. While this function is helpful, it's not essential. You can live a completely normal life without a gallbladder.
Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that form in the gallbladder. They range from tiny grains of sand to golf ball–sized stones and are the most common reason for gallbladder surgery. Risk factors include: female sex, age over 40, obesity or rapid weight loss, pregnancy, family history, Hispanic or Native American heritage, high-fat diet, and diabetes.
When a gallstone blocks the cystic duct, bile becomes trapped. This causes the gallbladder wall to become inflamed, swollen, and sometimes infected. Cholecystitis can be acute (sudden onset, often requiring urgent surgery) or chronic (repeated episodes of mild inflammation).
Sometimes the gallbladder doesn't empty properly even without stones. This functional disorder causes typical gallbladder symptoms and is diagnosed with a HIDA scan. If ejection fraction is abnormally low (typically <35%), surgery may be recommended.
Small gallstones can pass into the common bile duct and block the opening where the bile duct and pancreatic duct share an exit into the intestine, causing potentially dangerous inflammation of the pancreas.
Not everyone with gallstones needs surgery. Many people have "silent" gallstones that never cause problems. Surgery is typically recommended when you're having symptomatic gallstone attacks, you've been diagnosed with acute cholecystitis, you've had gallstone pancreatitis, you have biliary dyskinesia with symptomatic episodes, or large gallstones or polyps are found that increase cancer risk.
The gold standard for gallbladder removal uses 3–4 small incisions (5–12 mm each). Benefits include smaller incisions, less pain, same-day discharge, faster return to activities (1–2 weeks vs. 4–6 weeks for open), and lower infection risk.
Dr. Nguyen uses the da Vinci Surgical System for some gallbladder removals, providing 3D high-definition visualization, wristed instrument movement, and enhanced precision — particularly valuable in patients with inflammation or unusual anatomy.
For select patients, the gallbladder can be removed through a single small incision hidden in the belly button. Dr. Nguyen is one of the Bay Area's leading practitioners of single-incision surgery, offering the best possible cosmetic result with virtually no visible scarring.
In some cases, an open procedure may be necessary: severe inflammation, dense scar tissue from previous surgeries, suspected gallbladder cancer, or conversion from laparoscopic to open during surgery (~2–5% of cases). This is safe and effective when needed.
Pre-operative testing, fasting after midnight, medication review, and arrival 1–2 hours before scheduled time.
Duration is typically 30–90 minutes (most cases 45–60 min) under general anesthesia. The gallbladder is carefully separated from the liver and removed through one of the small incisions.
Day of surgery: Most patients go home the same day. Some soreness at incision sites and possible shoulder pain from CO2 gas (resolves in 1–2 days).
Days 1–3: Mild to moderate discomfort, improving daily. Walking encouraged. Low-fat, bland diet recommended initially.
Week 1: Most patients feel significantly better and can return to desk work by day 5–7.
Weeks 2–4: Return to most normal activities by week 2. Full recovery for most patients by week 3–4.
Most patients can eat normally within a few weeks. Tips for the first month: start with low-fat foods, eat smaller meals, stay hydrated, and avoid very greasy or spicy foods initially.
Like any surgery, cholecystectomy carries some risks: bile duct injury (<0.5%), bleeding (rare), infection (rare with laparoscopic approach), bile leak (uncommon), and post-cholecystectomy syndrome. Dr. Nguyen's extensive experience — more than 15,000 surgeries over 20 years — minimizes these risks.
Experience: Dr. Nguyen has performed thousands of cholecystectomies over his career.
Technology: Full spectrum of minimally invasive options from standard laparoscopic to robotic to single-incision.
Convenience: Offices in San Jose and Los Gatos, plus operating privileges at Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Gatos Community Hospital, Silicon Valley Surgery Center, and Fremont Surgery Center.
Team: A dedicated team that treats every patient like family.
A laparoscopic cholecystectomy typically takes 30–90 minutes, with most cases completed in about 45–60 minutes.
Most gallbladder surgeries are outpatient — you go home the same day. Complex cases may require one night of observation.
Yes. Most people return to a completely normal diet and lifestyle after gallbladder removal.
Silent gallstones generally don't require surgery. Most guidelines recommend observation unless symptoms develop.
Yes. Cholecystectomy is considered medically necessary when you have symptomatic gallstones or cholecystitis. It is covered by virtually all insurance plans.
Ready to get relief? Contact Lifetime Surgical to schedule a consultation.
Dr. Richard Nguyen is a board-certified general surgeon with 20+ years of experience and over 15,000 surgeries performed at Lifetime Surgical in San Jose and Los Gatos, CA.
Wondering which surgical procedure might be right for your condition? We're here to help you understand your treatment options and develop a personalized surgical plan. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation.
Your path to improved health may be more achievable than you think—with advanced surgical techniques leading to faster recovery, reduced complications, and a significantly enhanced quality of life.
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