Most gallbladder problems are caused by gallstones — hardened deposits made of cholesterol, bile pigments, or both. But several other conditions can also lead to a recommendation for surgery.
Gallbladder pain is famously hard to ignore. Most patients describe a sudden, intense ache in the upper right abdomen that can radiate to the back or right shoulder, often after a fatty meal. Symptoms to take seriously include:
If your pain is severe, lasts more than two hours, or is accompanied by fever or jaundice, seek emergency care. Less acute symptoms — recurring discomfort after meals, mild bloating, or a “something’s not right” feeling — should still be evaluated. A simple ultrasound is often all it takes to find the cause.
The gold standard for routine gallbladder removal. Through three or four small incisions (about 1 cm each), the surgeon inserts a thin camera and miniaturized instruments to safely remove the gallbladder. Most patients go home the same day and return to light activity within a week.
For more complex cases — extensive scar tissue, prior abdominal surgery, severe inflammation, or challenging patient anatomy — Surgery Group LA offers robotic-assisted cholecystectomy. The surgeon controls a precision robotic platform that translates hand motion into smaller, steadier movements with high-definition 3D visualization.
In a small percentage of cases — usually due to severe inflammation, bleeding, or unexpected anatomy discovered during surgery — the operation needs to be converted to open surgery through a single larger incision. Surgery Group LA’s surgeons are fully trained in open technique and will always prioritize safety over approach.
In the days leading up to your procedure, you’ll meet with your surgeon and our nursing team to review your medical history, medications, and any questions.
You’ll be put to sleep with general anesthesia. For laparoscopic or robotic cholecystectomy, the surgeon makes a few small incisions, inflates the abdomen with carbon dioxide for visibility, removes the gallbladder, and closes the incisions with absorbable sutures or surgical glue. The procedure typically takes 45–90 minutes. You’ll wake up in the recovery room.
You don’t have a gallbladder anymore — but your liver still makes bile, and your body adapts. Most people resume a normal diet within a few weeks. Some patients have temporary loose stools or sensitivity to very fatty meals for the first 4–6 weeks. Long-term, the vast majority of patients eat normally with no restrictions.
A laparoscopic or robotic cholecystectomy typically takes 45–90 minutes, depending on the patient’s anatomy and whether there are complications like severe inflammation. Open cholecystectomy can take longer.
Most laparoscopic and robotic gallbladder removal patients are discharged the same day. Patients with significant inflammation, infection, or other complicating factors may stay one night for observation.
Your length of stay is decided by what is safest for you — not by a default. Our team makes the call based on what we see in the operating room and how you feel in recovery.if a patient needs surgery, but when. Some can wait. Others can’t.
Most laparoscopic patients return to desk work within 5–7 days, light exercise within 2 weeks, and full activity within 3–4 weeks. Open surgery requires 4–6 weeks for full recovery.
Yes. The liver continues to produce bile, and the bile drains directly into the small intestine. Most people eat a normal diet and have no long-term issues. A small percentage of patients experience looser stools or temporary fat sensitivity in the first few weeks after surgery.
These adjustments usually resolve as your digestive system adapts — typically within 4–6 weeks. Your surgical team will give you specific dietary guidance for your situation, and most patients are back to eating their pre-surgery diet within a couple of months.
For routine cases, laparoscopic and robotic cholecystectomy have very similar outcomes, and laparoscopic is the standard of care. Robotic surgery is most useful for complex cases — severe inflammation, prior abdominal surgery with adhesions, or anatomic challenges — where the enhanced precision and 3D visualization of the robotic platform offer meaningful advantages. At Surgery Group LA, we choose the approach based on the patient, not the equipment.
Gallstones (cholelithiasis) are the hardened deposits inside the gallbladder. Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder, most often caused by a gallstone blocking its outlet. You can have gallstones without cholecystitis, but cholecystitis is almost always treated with gallbladder removal.
Most surgeons do not recommend removing the gallbladder for “silent” gallstones found incidentally. Surgery is generally reserved for symptomatic gallstones, complications of gallstones (such as cholecystitis or pancreatitis), or specific high-risk situations like porcelain gallbladder, large polyps, or certain transplant candidates. Your surgeon will guide you based on your specific case.
Surgery Group LA’s surgeons hold privileges at major Los Angeles-area hospitals and surgical centers, including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Most laparoscopic and robotic cholecystectomies are performed at outpatient surgical facilities for same-day discharge. Our office is at 8635 W 3rd St, Suite 880W, in Los Angeles, just steps from Cedars-Sinai.
More importantly, our team of world-renowned surgeons have saved countless lives, and have enabled countless more to live healthy, happy lives.
If you’re dealing with gallstones, cholecystitis, or unexplained upper-right abdominal pain, the next step is a consultation with a board-certified surgeon. Surgery Group LA offers same-week appointments and second opinions, both in-person at our 8635 W 3rd St office and via secure telehealth.
