What to Know About Surgery for Gallbladder Cancer

Surgery is a common way to treat gallbladder cancer if it has not spread far from the gallbladder. The surgery to take out the gallbladder is called a cholecystectomy. Some people need a more extensive surgery to remove these organs as well.

• Part of the liver around the gallbladder

• The bile duct

• Lymph nodes in the area

Even if your cancer cannot be removed, surgery can help ease your symptoms. If cancer cells are blocking the bile ducts so that bile builds up in your liver and gallbladder, your doctor may do surgery to relieve the obstruction. Before surgery, the doctor may insert a tube, called a catheter or a stent, to drain bile that has built up. The tube may drain to the outside of your body or into your small intestine. During the operation, the doctor sews part of the bile duct directly to the small intestine. This is called a biliary bypass.