Specialist gallbladder and gallstone surgeon in Edinburgh
Expert assessment, clear advice and treatment tailored to you
Mr Ben Stutchfield
Consultant General and Transplant Surgeon, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. Private consultations at Spire Murrayfield and Spire Shawfair Park.​
Specialist gallbladder and gallstone surgeon in Edinburgh
Expert assessment, clear advice and treatment tailored to you
Mr Ben Stutchfield
Consultant General and Transplant Surgeon, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. Private consultations at Spire Murrayfield and Spire Shawfair Park.​
Specialist gallbladder and gallstone surgeon in Edinburgh​
Expert assessment, clear advice and treatment tailored to you​
Mr Ben Stutchfield
Consultant General and Transplant Surgeon, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. Private consultations at Spire Murrayfield and Spire Shawfair Park.​
- Consultations within 1-2 weeks
- Self pay and insured patients welcome
- Spire Murrayfield & Shawfair Park
- GP referral usually not required
Could gallstones be causing my symptoms?
Symptoms range from indigestion and upper abdominal pain to infection, jaundice, or pancreatitis
Do I need gallbladder surgery?
Some patients can be managed conservatively, while others benefit from keyhole gallbladder surgery depending on their symptoms and scan findings.
Evidence based care, tailored to you
ABOUT MR STUTCHFIELD
Mr Ben Stutchfield is a consultant transplant and general surgeon at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, where he performs liver transplantation, works within the specialist hernia team and performs gallbladder surgery. He brings this experience and expertise to his private practice, offering evidence-based care tailored to each person.
Read more
Appointed as a consultant in 2019, Mr Stutchfield trained extensively in transplantation, biliary, and hernia surgery and holds a PhD in regenerative medicine from the University of Edinburgh.Â
He specialises in hernia repair, abdominal wall reconstruction, and gallbladder (gallstone) surgery, offering both minimally invasive laparoscopic (keyhole) and open procedures at Spire Murrayfield and Shawfair Park Hospitals
His current research interests include abdominal wall reconstruction techniques as well as understanding how algorithms and clinicians can best interact to improve patient outcomes. He has published research in the Lancet as well as other specialist journals. He serves as a reviewer for several specialist surgical journals.Â
His focus is on delivering safe, effective and personalised treatment using the latest surgical techniques to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients.Â
How do gallstones cause problems?
Gallstones form in the gallbladder, a small pouch beneath the liver. They cause trouble when they move and get stuck. Select each stage to see what happens.
Stones sitting in the gallbladder
The liver makes bile and stores it in the gallbladder. Bile drains through the bile duct into the duodenum, the first part of the bowel. Gallstones form when bile hardens into small stones inside the gallbladder. Many people have them and never know.
Typical symptoms: often none. Some people notice bloating or discomfort, especially after fatty meals
Understanding your diagnosis and treatment options
How gallstones are confirmed, what keyhole gallbladder removal involves, and how to weigh surgery against leaving stones alone.
Gallstones are usually diagnosed with an ultrasound scan, which is the most common first test for gallbladder symptoms. Blood tests may also be arranged to look for infection, inflammation, or signs that a stone has blocked the bile duct. CT scans can be helpful when symptoms are unclear or complications are suspected. A type of MRI scan, called an MRCP, gives detailed views of the bile ducts and may be used to look for stones that may have passed into the bile duct.
Tests for gallstones and gallbladder symptoms
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Ultrasound · usual first test
CT · unclear symptoms or complications
MRI (MRCP) · stones in the bile duct
When gallstones cause pain or complications, the best treatment is to remove the gallbladder. This operation is called a cholecystectomy. The gallbladder stores bile, but it is not essential, and most people notice little difference in digestion after surgery.Gallbladder removal is usually done as a keyhole (laparoscopic) procedure using small cuts and a camera. Risks are low, and long-term outcomes are excellent. Living without a gallbladder is safe and generally brings lasting relief from gallstone symptoms.
Keyhole
small cuts, minimally invasive
Same day
most people can go home
1-2 weeks
getting back to normal activities
2 weeks
usual time off work
Gallbladder removal surgery
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When gallstones cause pain or complications, the best treatment is to remove the gallbladder. This operation is called a cholecystectomy. The gallbladder stores bile, but it is not essential, and most people notice little difference in digestion after surgery. Gallbladder removal is usually done as a keyhole (laparoscopic) procedure using small cuts and a camera. Risks are low, and long-term outcomes are excellent. Living without a gallbladder is safe and generally brings lasting relief from gallstone symptoms.
With surgery
Removing the gallbladder prevents gallbladder-related complications. However every operation carries risks, such as infection, bleeding, or injury to nearby structures, as well as the chance of being worse after surgery than before. The majority of patients do not have problems with digestion once the gallbladder has been removed, as it the gallbladder is generally not working properly anyway.
Without surgery
Many people have gallstones without symptoms, and in these cases surgery is usually not recommended. Risks of gallstones include inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis), infection, jaundice caused by a blocked bile duct, and pancreatitis, which can be serious. These problems may come on suddenly and require urgent hospital care.
Decisions are made on an individual basis after careful discussion
Balancing risks and benefits
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Is it possible to dissolve or break up gallstones in the gallbladder?
No. Kidney stones can be broken up using shockwaves as they are brittle and can then be passed in the urine. Gallstones are softer and so don’t shatter in the same way. Also, if gallstones were to be broken up they might cause more problems by passing into the bile duct in small pieces.
How long is the recovery after surgery?
When can I get back to driving?
Do I need to change my diet after gallbladder removal?
Can I live normally without a gallbladder?
Yes. The gallbladder stores bile, but it is not essential. After gallbladder removal, bile still flows from the liver into the bowel, allowing digestion to continue. Dietary restrictions are not required following surgery.
Can gallstones come back after the gallbladder is removed?
Gallstones in the gallbladder cannot come back once the gallbladder has been removed. Rarely, stones can be found later in the bile duct, either at the time of surgery or later. This is uncommon but may require a further procedure to remove the stones.
When can I fly?
Frequently asked questions
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You can read more about gallstones and their treatment on the NHS website: gallstones treatment and surgery. This official guidance explains symptoms, when surgery may be needed, and what to expect from gallbladder removal.
Assessment and treatment recommendations follow national guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): Gallstone disease: diagnosis and management (CG188).
What to expect
From first enquiry to treatment - a clear, unhurried pathway
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Enquire
Book consultation online or email bms@bmssurgery.com for a quick, no cost opinion on whether an appointment would help. GP referral not required unless requested by insurer.
Consultation
See Mr Stutchfield at Spire Murrayfield or Shawfair Park hospital, usually within 1-2 weeks. Self-pay £200, or use your insurance. Return appointments £150.
Management plan
A clear, personalised plan, focussed on the best possible outcome for you. If tests or surgery are advised, self pay patients will receive a quote before anything is booked.
Spire Murrayfield Hospital
122 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh EH12 6UD
Spire Shawfair Park Hospital
10 Easter Shawfair, Edinburgh, EH22 1FE
Mr Stutchfield is an approved provider to leading health insurers. If you are insured with another provider, please get in touch to confirm cover.