However, if a patient is experiencing frequent and moderate to severe abdominal pain (in particular, after eating a meal), a physician should be contacted. If the physician determines that gallstones are the cause of the problem and must be removed, gallbladder surgery may be required. Gallbladder surgery is the most common type of surgery in the United States. Gallbladder surgery is called laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or laparoscopy. Gallbladder surgery can be performed by traditional methods or laparoscopically.

With laparoscopic gallbladder surgery the surgeon makes three small incisions around the gallbladder and another one in the stomach area. An instrument called a “laparoscope” with a light and a camera attached to the end is inserted into one of the incisions. The surgeon inserts other surgical instruments through the other incisions made. Using these instruments the gallbladder is safely removed from its location and pulled out through the last hole, the one in the abdomen, which is the largest. Patients usually recover very quickly after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Traditional gallbladder surgery is sometimes used when the surgeon feels it’s best not to remove the gallbladder with a laparoscope. With traditional surgery a 3″-5″ incision is made near the gallbladder and the doctor takes it out directly, without the need of a video camera or small tools. This method is referred to as an ‘open cholecystectomy’.

After gallbladder surgery the patient usually receives pain medication. Depending on the nature of the patient’s work, the patient may be able to return to work within a few days. The doctor will provide the patient with advice on when it’s safe to return to work. Once the gallbladder has been removed the body’s ability to digest some fat substances may be affected. The patient will eventually determine which foods cause digestive problems (sometimes through trial and error). Additionally, the doctor may prescribe or recommend that the patient take antacids for a short period of time or on an as-needed basis after gallbladder surgery.

A bile duct injury occurs when the surgeon mistakenly cuts the bile duct instead of the nearby cystic duct. When this occurs bile leake into the abdominal area and causes infection. Bile ducts that have been mistakenly cut must be repaired; this is done through surgery.

Bile Duct Injury Side Effects

Because patients recover rapidly after gallbladders removed laparoscopically and the majority of them are back to their pre-surgery state within ten days to two weeks, patients who continue to complain of symptoms and are not improving should be evaluated for possible bile duct injury. Patients with bile duct injuries may exhibit symptoms soon after the surgery or days, weeks, or months after the procedure.

Some of the symptoms associated with bile duct injury are:

general malaise
nausea
vomiting
loss of appetite or anorexia
abdominal pain
low-grade fever
jaundice

Patients who develop delayed symptoms from a bile duct injury may be suffering from scarring of the bile duct as a result of the gallbladder removal surgery. These patients typically exhibit a dilatation of their bile duct above the point of injury. At the point of injury the scarring gives rise to narrowing so that bile cannot go through. The bile then spills over into their blood and the patients typically develop jaundice.

IMPORTANT: If you experience any of the symptoms above (persistent pain, fever, jaundice) after your gallbladder surgery you should contact your physician IMMEDIATELY. Bile duct injuries are very serious and can be fatal if not properly treated in a timely manner.

To reduce the incidence of bile duct injuries the The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons recommends that Intraoperative Cholangiograms, an x-ray procedure, “be applied liberally” before surgery to help the surgeon identify sensitive anatomy. A review of scientific research published in March, 2007 in the Journal of American College of Surgeons reinforces this recommendation. Pre-surgery cholangiogram procedures cost between $100 and $200, take approximately ten minutes, and provide the surgeon with a better awareness of what anatomy requires excision.

Studies have shown that bile duct injuries are reduced when cholangiograms are performed. Additionally, surgeons may want to inject a dye into the gallbladder and the bile ducts so they won’t injure the bile ducts as they remove the gallbladder, according to a study of 1,570,361 gallbladder operations. (JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association, Subject: Health, ISSN: 0098-7484,

Again, remember that bile duct injuries during laparoscopic gallbladder surgeries are rare. However, it’s always important to be informed before having any medical procedure performed on your body.

Ask your doctor if he/she plans to perform an Intraoperative Cholangiogram before your surgery. Ask them what they think of the procedure. You may also want to consult your primary care physician or family doctor about the matter.

Remember, it’s always good to be informed before getting any type of surgical procedure.