Gallstones Surgery in Pune
Keyhole gallbladder removal, quick recovery. A laparoscopic approach with 24-hr stay and a typical recovery of ~1 week. But surgery is the last step, not the first — start with a laparoscopic surgeon and rule out the simpler fixes.
How it works
You don't buy an operation here — you start with a doctor. Book a consultation first; Gallstones surgery happens only if a laparoscopic surgeon confirms you need it.
About gallstones (cholelithiasis) and gallbladder disease
Gallstones form when bile becomes over-saturated with cholesterol or pigment and crystallises inside the gallbladder. Many people carry them for life without knowing. Trouble starts when a stone blocks the gallbladder outlet — biliary colic — or when the trapped gallbladder becomes inflamed and infected (cholecystitis). A stone that escapes into the common bile duct is a different and more serious problem again, causing jaundice or gallstone pancreatitis.
When is surgery actually needed?
Silent gallstones found incidentally on a scan usually need no operation at all — observation is the standard answer, with individual exceptions such as a very large stone, a calcified 'porcelain' gallbladder, or a planned transplant or bariatric procedure. Reducing dietary fat and taking analgesia manages an occasional attack, but nothing dissolves stones reliably: oral dissolution therapy rarely works and the stones return when it stops. Removal of the gallbladder is advised once colic is recurrent, and after an episode of cholecystitis, gallstone pancreatitis or duct obstruction — not because the pain is unbearable, but because those episodes repeat and get progressively more dangerous. A stone in the bile duct is cleared, usually by ERCP, before or during the operation.
Why laparoscopic, not open surgery
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy removes the whole gallbladder rather than picking out the stones, because a gallbladder that has made stones will make more. Four small ports are used with the abdomen gently inflated with carbon dioxide. The surgeon exposes and confirms the anatomy — the 'critical view of safety' — before clipping and dividing the cystic duct and artery, then frees the gallbladder from the liver bed and removes it in a retrieval bag. Bile continues to flow from the liver to the intestine afterwards; fat digestion adapts over a few weeks.
Your options for gallstones (cholelithiasis) and gallbladder disease
Non-surgical options are listed first where they exist. Which one suits you depends on your examination and reports — this table is here so you can ask better questions, not to choose for you.
Our laparoscopic surgeon surgeons
Dr. Imran Sheikh
Senior
Dr. Vivek Rao
Senior
Dr. Sanjay Kulkarni
SeniorDr. Arjun Menon
SeniorCost, EMI & insurance
Covered by insurance
Gallstones surgery is covered by most health policies. We start cashless pre-authorisation before admission — you pay nothing extra at discharge.
Your recovery timeline
Week by week after gallstones surgery
Sips of fluid and walking a few hours after surgery. Shoulder-tip discomfort from residual gas is normal and passes.
Discharge for uncomplicated cases. Port-site soreness managed with simple analgesia.
Normal diet resumed gradually; keeping fat low for the first week or two makes it easier.
Desk work and driving for most people.
Gym, lifting and full activity. Bowels settle over four to eight weeks in those who get looser stools afterwards.
Risks, preparation & aftercare
Every operation carries risk. These are the complications your surgeon will take you through before you consent — they are listed here so you read them without a pen in your hand.
Possible complications of gallstones surgery
Before your procedure
Ultrasound, liver function tests and — where a duct stone is suspected — an MRCP before the date. Fitness bloods and ECG. Blood thinners stopped only on the prescriber's instruction. Nothing to eat for 6 hours and clear fluids up to 2 hours before. Elective surgery is not done in the middle of an untreated acute attack unless your surgeon specifically advises it.
After you go home
Light, low-fat meals for two to three weeks, then normal food. Walk daily. Keep the port sites dry for 48 hours. Report fever, yellowing of the eyes, severe or worsening abdominal pain, or persistent vomiting — those are the signs of the complications that matter.
Frequently asked questions
Start with a conversation, not a commitment.
Book a ₹750 consultation with a laparoscopic surgeon — adjusted into your surgery cost if you go ahead. No pressure, no surgery unless you need it.