Cholecystectomy: duration, cost and step by step

• Cholecystectomy is the procedure indicated for patients suffering from health problems caused by the development of gallstones in the gallbladder.
• A cholecystectomy can be performed using two surgical techniques: by laparoscopy, minimally invasive surgery, or by open surgery, conventional surgery.
• The total recovery time varies from one technique to the other, being 5 to 10 days after laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 1 to 2 months after open gallbladder removal surgery.

The cholecystectomy procedure is performed when the gallbladder, a pear-shaped organ located below the liver in the upper right side of the abdomen, needs to be removed. Although you probably already know this, the gallbladder collects and stores bile, a fluid produced by the liver to digest fats. This fluid is made up of various substances, which can harden and form gallstones.

If you have problems caused by the development of gallstones and are looking for the best solution to put an end once and for all to the discomfort and pain, you can click on the image below to request a free assessment consultation with one of our specialists in General and Digestive Surgery:

Cholecystectomy is necessary when gallstones (stones in the gallbladder) develop and block the passage of bile. This involves the need to remove the gallbladder and eliminate complications such as inflammation of the gallbladder, gallstones in the bile ducts, inflammation of the pancreas, as well as preventing the development of more serious conditions such as gallbladder cancer.

In most cases, this surgical treatment is performed by inserting a small video camera and special surgical instruments through tiny incisions to see inside the abdomen and remove the gallbladder, a procedure known as laparoscopic cholecystectomy. 

It is also possible to perform the surgery using the conventional technique, open cholecystectomy, during which a large incision is made in the right side of the abdomen to remove the gallbladder.

Throughout this article you will be able to find all the information about the surgical procedure of cholecystectomy, both about the different techniques used to remove the gallbladder and the time taken to perform the surgery and its price with Operarme.

The procedure involves removing the gallbladder without making a large incision in the abdomen, which is common in open cholecystectomy.

To do this, a laparoscope is used, an instrument consisting of a tiny camera with a light at the end connected via fibre optics to a monitor, where the surgeon can see live what the camera is recording inside.

The main advantage of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is that postoperative recovery is much less than in cases of open surgery, as wound care is less intense and the wound heals more easily.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery is performed under general anaesthesia.

The following steps are followed to perform the laparoscopic gallbladder removal operation:

1. Once you are under anaesthesia, the surgeon makes three small incisions in the abdomen. Through one of them, the surgeon introduces carbon dioxide, which allows him to enlarge the abdominal cavity so that he can see and manoeuvre more easily.
2. He then inserts the laparoscope through one of the incisions to view the inside of the abdomen and uses the remaining incisions for the necessary surgical tools used during gallbladder removal.
3. Using the vision provided by the laparoscope, the surgeon carefully removes the gallbladder and extracts it through one of the abdominal incisions, suturing the bile ducts connecting the gallbladder to the small intestine and liver.
4. Once the removal is complete, the incisions are sutured and the patient is awakened from anaesthesia.

The duration of laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery is approximately 1 - 2 hours. 

The time you will need to fully recover from the operation is between 5 and 10 days. Keep in mind that these periods may vary as they depend directly on the particular characteristics of each patient.

Open cholecystectomy is performed under general anaesthesia. Normally, gallbladder removal surgery is performed laparoscopically, which allows for a quicker and less invasive recovery. But sometimes this is not possible, because the patient suffers from bleeding problems, lung disease, obesity or has undergone other abdominal surgeries in the past, among others.

Open cholecystectomy is performed in just 30 - 90 minutes.

Once in the operating theatre and under the effects of anaesthesia, the operation begins by following these steps:

1. The surgeon makes a 7 to 10 centimetre incision in the upper right side of the abdomen.
2. Using surgical tools, the specialist will then hold the incision open while separating the gallbladder from the organs to which it is attached, such as the liver and bile ducts.
3. After removal, the doctor will examine the ducts and other organs carefully to make sure that no gallstones remain in the ducts or other problems have occurred during the operation.
4. After making sure, the doctor will stitch the wound and apply a dressing.

The duration of open cholecystectomy is generally much shorter than that required for laparoscopic surgery, usually between 30 and 90 minutes. However, the recovery period after conventional gallbladder removal surgery is 1-2 months after the operation.

We know that the time you will have to spend under anaesthesia and in the operating theatre is usually one of the questions that worries you most. For this reason, and so that you can have peace of mind, we explain below how long both surgeries take and how long you will need to recover.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy intraoperative time

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery lasts approximately 1 to 2 hours. After surgery, you will need to stay in hospital for at least 1 day, although it is possible that the hospital stay may need to be extended to 2 days after surgery.

After surgery, the pain gradually disappears as the incisions heal and the body recovers from the surgery.

Intraoperative time for open cholecystectomy

The open cholecystectomy operation, the conventional surgery to remove the gallbladder, usually lasts between 30 and 90 minutes. After the operation, you will need to stay in hospital for at least the next 3 days, until your body recovers from the cholecystectomy and your state of health allows you to continue recovering at home.

As for the time you will need to fully recover from a cholecystectomy, either after open or laparoscopic surgery, we explain below:

Recovery time after cholecystectomy surgery

As after any surgery, one of the most important parts of ensuring the success of the intervention is to follow the indications and care prescribed by the doctor, thus ensuring that full recovery is achieved as quickly as possible.

Regarding recovery from gallbladder surgery, regardless of whether the technique used is open or laparoscopic, it is necessary to wait at least 1 week to be able to resume your daily routine. On the other hand, if you choose to have laparoscopic surgery, post-operative discomfort tends to disappear much more quickly, approximately after the second and third week.

In order to recover as quickly as possible, it is extremely important to follow all the indications provided by the specialist.

On the other hand, it is important to note the time it usually takes to return to work or other activities that involve a greater daily effort, so that we can differentiate between 7 - 10 days on average to return to work after laparoscopic cholecystectomy and between 4 - 6 weeks that you will have to rest after the intervention with open surgery.

Another point to highlight about cholecystectomies, whether by conventional technique, open surgery or laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a minimally invasive technique, is the price in the private centres we work with at Operarme.

The price of gallbladder removal surgery with Operarme includes several factors that are directly related to the success of the intervention. As we mentioned, at Operarme you have two types of surgical procedure for gallbladder removal, laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery and open cholecystectomy.

So, below we are going to explain the price of each cholecystectomy technique and everything that is included in each quote. It is important to note that both prices are fixed, with no last minute surprises and with the option of financing.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy price

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has a price starting from 5.490 €. The price includes everything related to the human and technical resources necessary to carry out the surgery. 

These elements are:

• Booking of the operating theatre.
• Post-operative care until medical discharge.
• Catering and linen service during the relevant hospital stay.
• Stay in a single room with a companion's bed for 2 days.
• Medical fees.
• Anaesthesiologist fees.
• Fees for the nursing team.
• Surgical material necessary for the operation.
• Free transfer service to take you to the hospital on the day of the surgery, as well as to take you home after your medical discharge.
• Medical complications insurance.

Open cholecystectomy price

Open cholecystectomy surgery with Operarme has an all-inclusive price of €4,490. As in the previous case, the price of open gallbladder surgery also includes all the resources necessary to ensure the success of the surgery. 

These resources are:

• Booking of the operating theatre.
• Post-operative care until medical discharge.
• Catering and linen service during the relevant hospital stay.
• Stay in a single room with a companion's bed for 2 days.
• Medical fees.
• Anaesthesiologist fees.
• Fees for the nursing team.
• Surgical material necessary for the operation.
• Free transfer service to take you to the hospital on the day of the operation, as well as to take you home after your medical discharge.
• Medical complications insurance.

In addition, given that these surgeries require several days in hospital, we offer you our transfer service from your home to the hospital and back home on the day of discharge. Check the conditions of the transfer service.

If you have problems caused by gallstones and you are thinking that the most appropriate solution is a cholecystectomy treatment, you can request a surgical assessment consultation with our specialist in General and Digestive System Surgery immediately, so that he can get to know you, familiarise himself with your case and decide on the best option to eliminate once and for all the problems caused by gallstones in the gallbladder.

Request a free surgical assessment consultation by clicking on the following image: