Could your pain be gallstones?
Gallstones are one of the most common surgical conditions in the UK. They form when bile in the gallbladder hardens — sometimes the size of a grain of sand, sometimes as large as a golf ball. When they obstruct the bile duct, the pain can be severe and debilitating.
Many patients spend months being investigated or waiting on NHS lists before receiving a diagnosis and treatment. With private care through Mr Farid, you can be assessed and treated quickly and with certainty.
Sudden, severe upper-right pain
Often comes on after eating, particularly fatty foods, and can last minutes to hours.
Pain radiating to back or shoulder
A hallmark of biliary colic — the classic gallstone presentation.
Nausea and vomiting
Frequently accompanies gallstone attacks, especially after meals.
Jaundice or skin yellowing
Indicates a stone may have passed into the bile duct. Requires prompt assessment.
Bloating and indigestion
Persistent, unexplained digestive discomfort that does not resolve with antacids.
Fever and chills
Suggests possible infection of the gallbladder (cholecystitis). Seek urgent review.
The procedure
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy — keyhole gallbladder removal — is performed under general anaesthesia through four small incisions. A camera and instruments are used to free and remove the gallbladder. The operation takes 45 to 60 minutes. Most patients go home the same day.
Mr Farid performs a high volume of this operation every year and provides a regional service for Yorkshire hospitals for the more complex cases — including patients who have had previous abdominal surgery, larger BMI, or complications from gallstone disease.
Complex and redo cases
Some gallbladder operations are significantly more difficult than a routine case. Patients with previous surgery, anatomical variation, acute cholecystitis, or Mirizzi syndrome require a more experienced surgeon and careful operative planning.
Transplant-level training across hepatobiliary surgery means the more demanding operations are handled as a matter of course — not referred on.
What the operation costs
Fixed-price self-pay packages start from £6,500–£8,500 at Spire Leeds Hospital, covering consultation, surgery, anaesthesia, hospital stay, and post-operative review. Patients with private health insurance are covered in full by all recognised providers.
Finance options are available through Spire Healthcare and Nuffield Health for self-pay patients.