Plano, TX, June 13, 2018 - Gallbladder surgery is one of the most common surgeries in the United States. Most of the time the surgery is used to remove the organ, not just the gallstones. While the gallbladder uses bile to aid in digestion, the removal does not cause any digestive problems for most people.

When gallstones form in the gallbladder, surgery to remove them becomes paramount to prevent inflammation, jaundice, and potentially gallbladder cancer. Once a gallstone is detected via an ultrasound or a CT scan, it must be removed because gallstones will simply get worse over time.

Dr. Nick Nicholson says that “When a patient is symptomatic from gallstones, it needs to be understood that Gallbladder surgery is no longer optional.”

Gallstones do not go away on their own, and most non-surgical options such as changing a diet or taking medication are mostly addressing the symptoms, and not a cure. Such changes have only short-term effects and will do little to stop symptoms from occurring in the long term. They are also largely unsuccessful in breaking down or dissolving the stone.

When gallbladder disease is caught early, it is easily fixed with a minimally-invasive surgical procedure. Patients can expect just a short stay at the hospital, with most going home the same day. However, if the disease is not caught early, removing the organ becomes more difficult and can keep a patient in the hospital for 4 or more days, with a full recovery time of up to two months.

Gallbladder surgery often erases symptoms such as bloating, pain, and indigestion, and can even remove other related stomach problems.

There are few risks to getting gallbladder surgery or having the organ removed, and the patient can be discharged soon afterward. Once vital signs have been stabilized and there are no additional complications from the procedure, such as pain or nausea, patients can expect a quick recovery.

Talking to your doctor about any form of abdominal pain can help ensure that any gallbladder problems can be found and fixed, giving the patient back a normal and pain-free life.

About Abdominal Surgery Specialists
Founded by Dr. Nick Nicholson, one of the country’s leading weight loss surgeons and co-author of “Weight Loss Surgery: The Real Skinny,” Abdominal Surgery Specialists provides patients with a variety of options to treat conditions including gallbladders, hernias, reflux and obesity.