Gallbladder Surgery in Dubai

Gallbladder surgery, medically called a cholecystectomy, removes the gallbladder, a small organ beneath the liver that stores bile. The gallbladder is not essential, and once it is removed, bile flows directly from the liver to the small intestine, so digestion continues normally for almost all patients.

The operation is most often needed because of gallstones, hardened deposits that form inside the gallbladder and can cause pain, inflammation or blockage. Not every gallstone needs surgery, but once stones start causing symptoms or complications, surgical removal is usually the most effective and lasting treatment.

The most common warning signs are sharp or cramping pain in the upper right abdomen, often after a fatty meal, pain that spreads to the back or right shoulder, nausea or vomiting, and bloating. Recurring attacks, even if each one settles on its own, are usually a sign that surgery will eventually be needed rather than a one-off issue.

Fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or pain that does not settle are signs of a more urgent problem, such as an infected or inflamed gallbladder, and need prompt medical attention rather than a routine appointment.

Not every gallbladder case is routine. An acutely inflamed or unusually large gallbladder, a patient with other health conditions, or an older patient can all add real complexity to what is normally a straightforward operation. Dr. Lund's trauma and emergency surgical training means these higher-risk and urgent cases are something he is specifically experienced in managing safely, rather than a situation that gets deferred or referred elsewhere.

The vast majority of gallbladder removals today are done laparoscopically: a camera and small instruments are passed through three or four small incisions, rather than one large cut. This generally means less pain, a shorter hospital stay and a faster return to normal activity compared with open surgery. The operation itself typically takes around 45 minutes to an hour under general anaesthesia.

In a small number of cases, usually where inflammation or scarring makes the laparoscopic view unsafe, the operation is converted to an open approach partway through. This is a safety decision, not a complication, and is explained clearly beforehand as a possibility.

Most patients go home the same day or the following morning. Mild shoulder-tip pain in the first day or two (from the gas used during surgery) and some soreness around the incisions are normal and settle quickly. Most people return to light activity within a few days and to full normal activity, including exercise, within one to two weeks.

Diet does not usually need to change long-term, though easing back into fatty or heavy meals over the first couple of weeks tends to be more comfortable while the digestive system adjusts.

Dr. Lund is a Swedish Board-Certified Consultant General Surgeon, board-certified since 2013, trained at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, with further clinical experience across Sweden, the USA and the UAE. He practises at American Hospital Dubai, combining minimally invasive technique with a straightforward approach: surgery is recommended only when it offers genuine benefit, and every option is explained clearly before a decision is made.