Gallbladder removal or cholecystectomy is among the most commonly performed surgeries in India. A 2026 BMJ Public Health review by Mohite et al., estimated that about 32 lakh cholecystectomies were performed in India in 2022 alone. Extrapolating from these estimates suggests that nearly 1.8 crore people may have undergone this surgery, during the five-year period from 2021 to 2025. India doesn’t have a comprehensive national registry of surgeries. Cholecystectomy is often considered a tracer procedure for excess and unnecessary surgeries in India. The implications for patients are important.

Gallbladder removal is, in most cases, performed because of stones in its lumen. These stones, called gallstones, are the hardened deposits made of cholesterol or bile pigments. The risk of developing gallstones rises with age, genetics, obesity, rapid weight loss, including from weight-loss medicines, pregnancy, hormonal factors, and metabolic patterns. Yet most gallstones never cause symptoms. They are incidental findings during an ultrasound performed for fatty liver, acidity, abdominal discomfort, urinary complaints or an annual health check-up.

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A diagnosis of gallstones does not automatically require surgical removal. International guidelines recommend observation for asymptomatic gallstones when the gallbladder and bile ducts are otherwise normal. Surgery is beneficial when stones cause repeated biliary pain, acute inflammation, bile-duct obstruction or pancreatitis. Preventive removal may be considered in selected high-risk situations. For the average person with an........

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