Do you still get cholecystitis after gallbladder removal?

Generally, after cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), one will no longer develop cholecystitis, as the primary organ where inflammation occurs has been removed. However, abdominal discomfort similar to cholecystitis may occur after surgery and should be differentiated from the original disease. Details are as follows:

Cholecystitis is closely related to the gallbladder itself and often results from obstruction of the cystic duct or bacterial infection leading to inflammation of the gallbladder wall. After cholecystectomy, the organ responsible for storing and concentrating bile is gone. Without a gallbladder, inflammation of the gallbladder wall cannot occur; therefore, by definition, traditional cholecystitis will not recur.

However, after gallbladder removal, the bile ducts take over some of the gallbladder's functions. If bile duct obstruction or infection occurs, or if bile drainage patterns change post-surgery, symptoms such as right upper abdominal pain and nausea—similar to those of cholecystitis—may appear. This condition is clinically known as post-cholecystectomy syndrome. These symptoms are not due to gallbladder inflammation but rather represent the body's adaptation to changes in bile flow or other bile duct-related issues following surgery.

In daily life, individuals who have undergone cholecystectomy should maintain a light diet, avoid consuming large amounts of greasy food at once to reduce the burden on bile ducts for bile secretion, and eat regular meals to help the bile ducts establish a stable rhythm of bile release.