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What Are the Dangers of Gallbladder Removal?

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped sac in the upper right portion of the abdomen. Its main purpose is to store bile from the liver. According to the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, gallbladder removal is the one of most common general surgeries performed in this country.

  1. Surgical Risks

    • Gallbladder removal has similar risks to any other surgical procedure because it requires anesthesia and also because surgical patients are at increased risk for developing blood clots, pneumonia and infections.

    Dangers

    • There is the risk of perforation of other organs during removal, and leakage of bile may also occur after the gallbladder is removed. Both these complications are rare. When they do occur, they typically are not serious but do require additional care and monitoring. Injury to the common bile duct, which is close to the gallbladder, is a rare but serious complication that would require additional surgery to repair it.

    Infections

    • Infections occur in 1 in 1,000 patients having their gallbladder removed, according to the American College of Surgeons. The infection rate decreases with laparoscopic surgery, which is performed using smaller instruments inserted into the abdomen through four one-inch incisions, as compared to open abdominal surgery. An open surgery is one in which the abdomen is opened with a larger incision. It is more invasive and therefore performed less frequently.

    Anesthesia

    • General anesthesia can cause pneumonia or other respiratory problems after surgery. This is mainly due to the patient being intubated to assist with and monitor breathing during the surgery while under anesthesia. Intubation tubes can introduce bacteria in the lungs, causing pneumonia.

    Retained Stones

    • There is also the risk of retaining a gallstone in the bile ducts, which are tubes that carry the bile from the gallbladder into the small intestine to aid digestion when food is consumed. Sometimes, even though the gallbladder is removed, left over stones may remain in the bile duct causing pain and also preventing the bile from draining properly, causing further complications.

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