Gallbladder

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A cholecystectomy is a surgery to remove the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that sits just below the liver on the upper right side of the abdomen. The gallbladder collects and stores a digestive fluid made in the liver called bile.

A cholecystectomy is a common surgery. It is a safe operation and usually carries only a small risk of complications. In most people this surgery is done using small incisions, and you can go home the same day of your cholecystectomy.

A cholecystectomy is usually done by inserting a tiny video camera and special tools through several small incisions to see inside your abdomen and remove the gallbladder. This is called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In some cases, one large incision may be used to remove the gallbladder.