Gallbladder attacks are caused by the presence of gallstones in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small organ located in the upper right abdomen that aids in digestion. Gallstones form when the liquid inside the gallbladder hardens into small, hard pieces. They can form for a number of reasons and can cause a painfully and potentially dangerous condition.

Frequent gallbladder attacks may be treated with surgery to remove the gallbladder through a procedure called cholecystectomy. The gallbladder is a nonessential organ and having it removed is a very common surgical procedure.

Most cholecystectomies can be performed laparoscopically, which is less invasive than open surgery and cuts down on recovery time.