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.
How gallstones cause problems
1. Stones 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.
2. A stone blocking the neck of the gallbladder
When the gallbladder squeezes after a meal, a stone can lodge in its neck. The gallbladder cannot empty, causing a severe cramping pain under the right ribs (biliary colic). If the stone stays stuck, the gallbladder can become inflamed and infected (cholecystitis).
3. A stone escapes into the bile duct
Stones can slip out of the gallbladder and travel down the bile duct. If the stone blocks the duct, bile backs up into the liver and the duct swells. The blockage of the bile flow can cause infection heading up into the liver. Because the bile duct and pancreas share an opening into the bowel, a stone here can also inflame the pancreas and cause pancreatitis.
Evidence based care, tailored to each patient
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.
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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
Helping you understand your diagnosis and treatment options
Understanding gallstones and gallbladder surgery
Understanding gallstones
Gallstones are small stones that form in the gallbladder, a pouch beneath the liver that stores bile. The bile is squeezed out after eating to help digest fats. Gallstones develop when bile chemicals, such as cholesterol, become unbalanced and crystallise. Gallstones are very common, often causing no symptoms, and may be discovered incidentally during scans or tests for other conditions.
Gallstone symptoms
Gallbladder symptoms usually occur when gallstones block the flow of bile out of the gallbladder. The most common symptom is pain in the upper right abdomen, which may spread to the back. Symptoms can also include nausea, bloating, or indigestion, especially after fatty meals. If a gallstone comes out of the gallbladder into the bile duct (the tube that runs between the liver and bowel) it can cause a blockage. People can then develop jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes) and there is a risk of infection spreading up into the liver and developing sepsis. The tube that drains the pancreas enters the bile duct also. Stones can irritate this and lead to pancreatitis which can cause people to become very unwell.
Tests for gallstones and gallbladder symptoms
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.
Gallbladder removal surgery
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. Most patients go home the same day and return to normal activities within 1–2 weeks. Risks are low, and long-term outcomes are excellent. Living without a gallbladder is safe and generally brings lasting relief from gallstone symptoms.
Balancing the risks and benefits
With surgery
Removing the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) 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.  Most patients have no long-term issues with digestion once the gallbladder has been removed as the gallbladder is generally not working properly anyway. Decisions are made on an individual basis after careful discussion.
Without surgery
Many people have gallstones without symptoms, and in these cases surgery is usually not recommended.Â
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.Â
Gall stones are very common and surgery is not recommended for everyone. Balancing the risks means weighing the chance of ongoing or worsening symptoms and complications of gallstones against the risks of surgery.
Frequently asked questions
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.Â
How long is the recovery after surgery?
Most people having keyhole gallbladder surgery go home on the day of surgery or the following morning. Recovery varies, but many people feel significantly better within one to two weeks. I usually advise around two weeks off work, depending on your job and how quickly you recover.
When can I get back to driving?
You should not drive until you can safely perform an emergency stop and move comfortably. For many people this is around one to two weeks after keyhole gallbladder surgery, but you should also check your car insurance policy.
Do I need to change my diet after gallbladder removal?
You can return to a normal diet after gallbladder removal. A low-fat diet may help while you are waiting for surgery or during the early recovery period. Some people notice temporary bloating or looser stools after surgery, but this should improve with time.Â
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?
It is generally safe to fly around 10 days to 2 weeks after keyhole gallbladder surgery, provided recovery is going well and there have been no complications. You should be walking comfortably, eating and drinking normally. It is also sensible to check your travel insurance policy before travelling soon after surgery.
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).
Mr Stutchfield is an approved provider to leading health insurers. If you are insured with another provider, please get in touch to confirm cover.