After Gallbladder Removal: 3 Conditions You Could Develop — Why You Should Avoid the Surgery When Possible

ducts.

Persistent  pain after  surgery should therefore be evaluated instead of automatically being attributed to the missing gallbladder.

3. Bile Duct Stones and Other Biliary Problems

Removing the gallbladder eliminates the organ in which most gallstones form, but it does not make every future bile-duct problem impossible.

Occasionally, a stone may already be present in the common bile duct at the time of surgery, or stones may later develop within the biliary system.

Symptoms can include:

severe pain in the upper right or upper middle abdomen
jaundice
dark urine
pale stools
fever
chills
nausea or vomiting

A blocked bile duct can become serious and may require urgent treatment.

Does Gallbladder Removal Cause Liver Disease?

For most people, gallbladder removal does not cause the liver to stop functioning properly.

The liver continues producing bile normally after  surgery.

Research has investigated possible associations