US Medical Term · procedures
Cholecystectomy
Colecistectomía
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Cholecystectomy |
| Spanish (Español) | Colecistectomía |
| Chinese (中文) | 膽囊切除術 |
| Korean (한국어) | 담낭절제술 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Phẫu thuật cắt túi mật |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Cholecystectomy |
| Portuguese (Português) | Colecistectomia |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | การผ่าตัดถุงน้ำดี |
| Japanese (日本語) | 胆嚢摘出術 |
What it means
A cholecystectomy is surgical removal of the gallbladder, a small organ beneath the liver that stores bile. It is most often performed to treat gallstones that cause pain, infection, or blockage. The procedure is typically laparoscopic, using three or four tiny incisions, and takes about one hour under general anesthesia. Most patients go home the same day or the next morning. You can expect soreness around the incision sites and possible shoulder discomfort from surgical gas for a day or two. Full recovery takes one to two weeks for laparoscopic surgery. Your body continues to produce and use bile normally without the gallbladder.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My doctor recommended a cholecystectomy to remove my gallbladder because of gallstones.
Mi médico recomendó una colecistectomía para extirpar mi vesícula biliar por cálculos.
Will I need to change my diet permanently after a cholecystectomy?
¿Tendré que cambiar mi dieta de forma permanente después de una colecistectomía?
Is the cholecystectomy done with small cuts or will I have a large scar?
¿La colecistectomía se hace con cortes pequeños o tendré una cicatriz grande?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026