Skip to main contentDr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital · Vasna, Ahmedabad
Last updated: 14-Oct-2026
Gallstone and cholecystitis treatment in Ahmedabad · Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad
Gallstones found by chance, with no pain, are usually left alone. A few special findings change that. Stones that cause true gallstone pain are removed with the whole gallbladder.
An inflamed gallbladder, called acute cholecystitis, is graded mild, moderate or severe. In a fit patient, keyhole removal in the same admission, within about a week, is the usual plan.
Not every pain with stones is gallstone pain. Bloating and burning often have another cause. The history and a few tests decide whether surgery will actually help.
Stones without symptoms, stones that cause attacks of pain, and an inflamed gallbladder are three different problems. Each has its own plan and its own timing.
Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital. Dr Harsh Shah has 18 years of experience in gallbladder, bile duct and gut surgery. Sorting true gallstone pain from indigestion, timing the operation to the attack, and reading every gallbladder report are handled by one team.
Dr Harsh Shah
MS, MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology), DrNB (Surgical Gastroenterology)
Registered with Gujarat Medical Council, Reg. No. G-38738
Gallbladder Surgeon · Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad
Google rating 4.94 from 18 reviews at Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad.
| Situation | What it means | Usual plan |
|---|---|---|
| Stones with no symptoms | Found on a scan done for something else. | Watch. Surgery only for the special findings listed below. |
| Gallstone pain (biliary colic) | Attacks of pain that come and go. The gallbladder is not infected. | A planned keyhole operation, often as a day-care case. |
| Inflamed gallbladder (acute cholecystitis) | Pain that does not settle, with tenderness and fever or raised blood markers. | Hospital care. Timing of surgery is set by the grade of the attack. |
| A stone in the main bile duct | Yellow eyes, dark urine, or a widened duct on the scan. | The duct is cleared first, then the gallbladder is removed. |
The broader picture of gallbladder stones, the stone types and the surgical options, is on our gallbladder stone treatment page. This page is about the decisions: whether to operate, and when.
Stones on an ultrasound do not explain every stomach complaint. True gallstone pain comes in attacks, lasts over half an hour, and sits in the upper belly or under the right ribs.
| Feature | Gallstone pain | Indigestion alone |
|---|---|---|
| How it comes | In attacks, often after a meal. | Most days, on and off. |
| How long | More than half an hour, often hours. | Short spells, or a constant mild discomfort. |
| Where | Upper middle belly or under the right ribs. It may go to the back or right shoulder. | Vague, often with bloating. |
| What comes with it | Sweating, vomiting, needing to keep still. | Belching, burning, a full feeling. |
| What follows | A planned operation is likely to help. | Another cause is looked for first. Surgery may not help. |
This sorting matters. Removing the gallbladder for bloating and burning alone often leaves the symptoms in place. So when the story does not fit, other causes are checked before any operation is offered.
Silent stones are usually watched, not removed. Only a small number start causing trouble each year. Surgery is advised only when one of a few special findings is present.
Watching means no operation, no special diet and no repeated scans. You learn the signs of an attack and report them. If attacks begin, a planned operation follows.
| Finding | Why surgery is advised |
|---|---|
| A hard, chalky gallbladder wall | This change needs the gallbladder out. |
| A gallbladder polyp of 10 mm or more, or one that is growing | The polyp needs removal and examination. |
| Stones together with a polyp | The pair is treated as a reason to remove the gallbladder. |
| A thickened gallbladder wall | It needs a closer look and usually removal. |
| Waiting for an organ transplant, or on strong immune-lowering medicines | An attack later would be harder to treat. |
| A planned weight-loss bypass operation | The gallbladder is dealt with as part of the plan. |
An ultrasound and basic blood tests come first. Then the chance of a stone in the main bile duct is judged. That decides whether you go straight to surgery or need one more test.
| Chance | What puts you there | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| High | A duct stone seen on a scan. Infection of the bile duct. Deep jaundice with a widened duct. | ERCP first to clear the duct, then gallbladder removal. |
| Middle | A widened duct. Mild jaundice. Abnormal liver tests. Age over 55. Gallstone pancreatitis. | MRCP or endoscopic ultrasound. ERCP only if a stone is found. |
| Low | None of the above. | Straight to keyhole gallbladder removal. |
A stone in the main duct, or infection behind it, follows a different route. Our page on bile duct stones and cholangitis explains it. Gallstones can also inflame the pancreas. That is covered on our acute pancreatitis page.
Most gallbladders with stones are simply that. A few scan findings raise a concern about a growth. Then the case is not listed as routine surgery. A senior surgeon plans it.
| Finding on the scan | What follows |
|---|---|
| A thick wall, more than 4 mm, with no sign of inflammation. | Not a routine listing. Further imaging and a senior surgeon’s plan. |
| A lump, or an irregular wall. | Not a routine listing. Further imaging and a senior surgeon’s plan. |
| A hard, chalky wall. | A joint team decision on how to operate. |
| A polyp of 10 mm or more, or a growing polyp. | A joint team decision on how to operate. |
| Stones and a polyp together. | A senior surgeon’s review before listing. |
After every gallbladder operation, the removed gallbladder is opened and checked in theatre. It is always sent for examination under the microscope. A doctor reads every report. Occasionally an unexpected growth is found, and then the next steps are discussed within two weeks. This is why the report is never skipped.
An inflamed gallbladder is confirmed by tenderness under the right ribs, a sign of body-wide inflammation such as fever, and typical ultrasound changes. The attack is then graded.
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| Mild | Inflamed, but none of the moderate or severe features. |
| Moderate | Any one of: a very high white cell count, a tender lump under the right ribs, symptoms for more than three days, or a gallbladder that is dying, has gas in its wall, or has a pus collection or leak around it. |
| Severe | An organ is failing. Low blood pressure needing drugs, drowsiness or confusion, poor breathing, failing kidneys, slow clotting or low platelets. |
The grade is written down on the day you arrive. It is checked again every day, because an attack can change. The grade, your fitness and the state of the gallbladder together set the plan.
For a fit patient with a mild or moderate attack, keyhole removal in the same admission is the usual plan. A drain is a bridge for those too unwell for surgery.
| Grade | Fit patient, experienced unit | Unfit patient, or very hostile anatomy |
|---|---|---|
| Mild | Early keyhole removal in the same admission. | Antibiotics, then a planned operation later. |
| Moderate | Early keyhole removal in the same admission, by an experienced surgeon. | A drain into the gallbladder through the skin, antibiotics, then surgery later. |
| Severe | Organ support first. Early surgery only in selected patients at an advanced centre. | A gallbladder drain and organ support, then a planned operation later. |
Early means within about 72 hours, and up to seven days, from when the symptoms began. Studies show early surgery shortens the total time in hospital. It does not raise the chance of changing to open surgery or of a bile duct injury.
If you arrive more than about a week after the pain began, the inflammation may have set hard. Then the attack is settled with treatment first. The operation follows at about six weeks.
Antibiotics support the body, but they do not end the problem. In a fit patient with a mild or moderate attack, the operation in the same admission is the treatment.
A thin tube through the skin can drain an infected gallbladder. It is used only for patients truly too unwell for anaesthesia. It is followed by a planned operation at six to eight weeks.
Being older or having other illnesses does not on its own mean you need a drain instead of surgery. A large trial showed that removing the gallbladder did better than a drain in high-risk patients who were fit enough for an operation. So a drain is kept for those who genuinely cannot have anaesthesia, or a severe attack not responding to treatment.
Patients sent home with a drain are easy to lose track of. So each one goes on a tracking list with a date for the later operation. You do not have to remember it. Our team calls you.
Many people with gallstones never need surgery. Silent stones are watched. Vague indigestion is investigated for another cause. Only the whole gallbladder, never the stones alone, is ever removed.
| Situation | Why surgery is not the answer now |
|---|---|
| Silent stones with none of the special findings. | Only a small number start causing trouble each year. |
| Bloating, belching and burning without attacks. | Removing the gallbladder may not help. Another cause is looked for. |
| A patient too unwell for anaesthesia during an attack. | A drain and antibiotics first. Surgery later, if fitness returns. |
| A request to remove only the stones. | Stones form again in a gallbladder left behind. The whole gallbladder is removed. |
The standard operation is keyhole removal of the whole gallbladder with its stones. Before any tube is clipped, the surgeon must see a clear, safe view of the anatomy.
This safe view has three parts. The fat and tissue in a small triangle near the gallbladder are cleared. The lower part of the gallbladder is lifted off the liver bed. And only two structures, one tube and one artery, are seen entering the gallbladder. Only then is anything clipped and cut.
When inflammation makes that view impossible, the surgeon does not push on. Safer choices follow. Part of the gallbladder can be left behind on purpose, the gallbladder can be freed from the top down, an X-ray of the bile ducts can be taken, or the operation can be changed to open surgery. Changing to open is a judgement for safety, not a failure.
Other standards are part of every operation. Gas pressure is kept low where possible. A drain tube and a nose tube are not used routinely. Local anaesthetic is injected at the small cuts. Medicines to prevent sickness are given. How difficult the gallbladder was is recorded in the operation note.
You get written fasting instructions and a list of danger signs. For a planned operation, a sweet clear drink two hours before helps you recover faster.
Most planned keyhole gallbladder operations are day-care or one-night stays. You drink at two hours, eat a light meal soon after, and go home once you meet the checks.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Two hours | Sips of fluid. Sitting out of bed. |
| Four to six hours | A light meal. Walking. Passing urine. |
| Same evening or next morning | Home once pain is controlled on tablets, you are eating, walking and passing urine, and you have the danger-sign sheet. |
| At home | Simple painkillers for three to five days. No routine antibiotics after a clean mild or moderate case. |
Do not go home, or come back at once, with any of these.
★★★★★
“Dr. Harsh performed my wife’s gallbladder surgery and has been a thorough professional. He truly assuaged our concerns and treated us with great care. I have never met a surgeon who is consistently upbeat, and that makes a real difference to families whose loved ones are undergoing a surgical procedure. — Gaurav Roy, Google review”
★★★★★
“Dr. Harsh Shah performed gallbladder surgery for my father, and our experience was excellent. He is very humble and highly knowledgeable. He patiently answered all our queries and took great care in explaining every detail. He was always supportive and addressed each of my father’s concerns with patience and clarity, which gave us a lot of confidence and comfort throughout the treatment. We are truly grateful for his care and would highly recommend him. — Sunny Shah, Google review”
★★★★★
“I am very thankful to Dr. Harsh Shah for treating me for gallstone disease and performing my laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The entire treatment and surgery were handled very professionally. Dr. Harsh Shah explained everything clearly and made me feel comfortable throughout the process. My recovery has been very good, and I am extremely satisfied with the care I received. Highly recommended for laparoscopic and gastrointestinal surgery. — Akshaya Shaw, Google review”
These reviews are from Dr Harsh Shah’s two Google listings, quoted exactly as written. Each describes his care for gallbladder surgery.
Keyhole gallbladder surgery is a common operation, but it carries real risks. They are explained in person before consent, with the figures that apply to you. Risk is higher during an acute attack.
General risks: bleeding that may need a transfusion, wound infection, clots in the legs or lungs, a heart problem around the operation, and anaesthetic problems.
Risks of this operation: an injury to the main bile duct, which is uncommon but the most important risk, and is discussed in detail. A bile leak. A stone left in the duct that needs an ERCP. Changing to open surgery. An injury to the bowel or a blood vessel when the first cut is made. A fluid collection under the liver. Part of the gallbladder left behind on purpose when the anatomy is unsafe. Death is rare.
In the long run: usually nothing. Some people have loose motions for a while. Report yellow eyes or fever at any time. Risks are higher with age over 65, other serious illness, a heavy build, earlier upper belly surgery, or an acute attack. Dr Harsh Shah goes through each of these in person before consent.
Some gallstone problems are not routine. Pregnancy, liver cirrhosis, a severe attack, a duct infection or an unusual scan finding all bring a senior surgeon in on the same day.
| Situation | Why |
|---|---|
| Acute attack during pregnancy | The timing and method need extra care for mother and baby. |
| Liver cirrhosis or high pressure in the liver veins | Bleeding risk is higher, and the plan changes. |
| Severe attack with an organ failing | Organ support and drainage come first. |
| Fever with yellow eyes and pain | Infection of the bile duct. Urgent drainage, not a gallbladder listing. |
| A stone pressing on the main bile duct from outside | The anatomy is distorted, and the operation is planned differently. |
| A gallstone blocking the bowel | An emergency operation on the bowel. |
| Any finding that suggests a growth | Not a routine operation, as described above. |
A phone call on the first day, then a wound check and the gallbladder report at seven to ten days. After a simple operation, no special diet and no routine scans are needed.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day one, for day-care cases | A phone call from our coordinator. |
| Seven to ten days | Wound check. The microscope report is read by a doctor and explained to you. |
| Diet | No long-term restriction. |
| Scans | None routinely after a simple operation. |
| Patients with a gallbladder drain | Kept on a tracking list for the planned operation at six to eight weeks. |
| Weeks later, pain with abnormal liver tests | An MRCP looks for a stone left in the duct. ERCP removes it. |
A planned keyhole operation is usually a day-care or one-night stay. An acute attack needs a longer admission. The estimate depends on the grade, the operation and the stay.
The estimate also depends on any MRCP or ERCP, a drain, and intensive care for a severe attack. Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad, works with the major insurers and cashless schemes. The office handles pre-authorisation, including for emergency admissions with an attack. Bring: ultrasound and blood reports, discharge papers, a list of medicines, the insurance card and identification. You can also call +91-63555-64601 to ask what to bring.
Cashless at Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital
Gallbladder removal, laparoscopic or open, is on Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital’s PPN package list, so it is cashless if your policy is with one of the four public-sector insurers: New India Assurance, Oriental Insurance, United India Insurance or National Insurance (GIPSA PPN). The hospital’s TPA desk handles the pre-authorisation. Bring your policy card, photo ID and reports. If you are insured elsewhere, insurance is still accepted and the desk applies for cashless approval under your policy.
Usually not. Silent stones are watched. Surgery is advised only for special findings, such as a chalky wall, a polyp of 10 mm or more, or a planned transplant.
No. Stones form again in a gallbladder left behind. The standard operation removes the whole gallbladder with its stones.
Not if you are fit and the attack is mild or moderate. Keyhole removal in the same admission, within about a week of the pain starting, is the usual plan.
The attack is usually settled with treatment first. The operation then follows at about six weeks, once the inflammation has calmed.
A drain is for patients too unwell for anaesthesia, or a severe attack not settling. It is a bridge. A planned operation follows at six to eight weeks.
No long-term diet restriction is needed. Some people have loose motions for a while. Report yellow eyes or fever at any time.
Every removed gallbladder is examined under the microscope. Occasionally an unexpected finding appears. A doctor reads every report and explains it at the follow-up visit.
Yes, for policyholders of New India Assurance, Oriental Insurance, United India Insurance and National Insurance, because it is a PPN package operation. The hospital's TPA desk handles pre-authorisation. With other insurers, the desk applies for cashless approval under your policy.
Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna, Ahmedabad
Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Dr Jivraj Mehta Marg, Vasna, Ahmedabad 380007.
Google: Dr Harsh Shah · 4.94 from 18 reviews
Directions to Dr. Jivraj Mehta Hospital, Vasna · WhatsApp +91-63555-64601
Patients come to Ahmedabad from across Gujarat, including Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Nadiad, Anand, Rajkot and Kutch, and from southern Rajasthan.
Told you have gallstones, or had a bad attack of upper belly pain? Ultrasound and blood reports, and any discharge papers, can be sent ahead, so the consultation starts with them already read. Treatment is decided at the consultation, after examination. Pain with fever, yellow eyes or vomiting that will not stop needs the nearest emergency department today. Call +91-63555-64601 · Bring the reports to the visit
Swasth Parivar: every week, practical advice on recovery, diet and warning signs. No advertising. Stop any time.
Your number is used for these updates and for the clinic to reach you. It is never sold or passed on. To stop, reply STOP on WhatsApp.