Objective: To determine the factors affecting gallbladder function recovery after minimally invasive cholecystolithotomy with gallbladder preservation. Methods: Using completely randomized case-control design, 59 cases were selected among the patients who underwent minimally invasive gallbladder-preserving cholelithotomy after the completion of 1-year follow-up. Of the patients, 37 cases had excellent gallbladder function recovery and 22 cases had poor gallbladder function recovery. The factors affecting the postoperative gallbladder function recovery were statistically analyzed. Results: Univariate analysis showed that age, thickness of the gallbladder wall, submucosal calculi, inflammatory pathology, stone recurrence, diabetes mellitus, operative time and postoperative drug administration were associated with gallbladder function recovery of the patients (all P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that stone recurrence (OR=13.121, P=0.046), diabetes mellitus (OR=12.263, P=0.043), inflammatory pathology (OR=6.891, P=0.037) and operative time (OR=6.718, P=0.030) were risk factors for gallbladder function recovery. Conclusion: Stone recurrence, diabetes mellitus, long-term (chronic) inflammation of the gallbladder and long operative time are the main factors hampering gallbladder function recovery after minimally invasive gallbladder-preserving surgery.