The gallbladder is located just below the liver & its primary function is to store bile juice, which is needed for digesting fats.

The formation of gallstones can not be stopped, but we can reduce the possible risk factors associated with gallstones. One can focus on maintaining a healthy weight by having a balanced diet & regular exercise. Dietary changes necessitate limiting meat & fried foods increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, & low-fat dairy products in your diet.

Yes, one can have a perfectly everyday life without a gallbladder. Your liver will still produce enough bile even without a gallbladder, but instead of bile being stored in the gallbladder, it will drip bile straight into the small intestine. Hence, most foods can still be digested, but oily or high-fibre food becomes harder to digest at times, resulting in gas, bloating, or diarrhoea.

Yes, gallstones can be removed without removing the gallbladder. Certain medications help to dissolve stones if the size is small. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure wherein the gallbladder is not removed; instead, any stones in the common bile duct (CBD) are removed using an endoscope.

The risk of having gallstones is higher in pregnant females due to elevated hormones. If a gallstone is detected incidentally while doing an ultrasound, then one should not rush to get treated at that time. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the baby's body is under formation. Any medications or drugs needed to perform the surgery can pose a greater risk of developing congenital anomalies. If the patient has recurrent attacks & is not responding to medicines, then surgery can be performed in the second trimester as this is the safest & least risky time. During the third trimester, it is encouraged to postpone surgery until after delivery since the growing uterus can make it difficult to do surgery & even pose a risk for preterm labour.

Yes, it is with the following benefits:

• Minimally invasive procedure
• Smaller incisions less than 1cm
• Stitchless & Painless
• Next-day discharge
• Minimal blood loss
• No or minimal risk of complications
• Bed rest only for 2-3 days
• High success rate with no reoccurrence
• Recovery is quick & smooth