What are the Treatments for Gallstones?

Until just a few years ago, the most common treatment for symptomatic gallstones was a surgical procedure called cholecystectomy which required a large abdominal incision to remove the gallbladder. This was an extremely painful (based on my personal experience) and difficult to recover from operation that required at least five days in the hospital, and approximately six weeks for recovery.

Today laparoscopic cholecystectomy is most commonly performed. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is usually performed in a day-surgery unit and requires only a tiny incision. My daughter's gallstones were treated laparoscopically, leaving her feeling well enough to continue her normal activities later that day. However, it should be noted that not all patients will recover almost instantaneously as my daughter did--the typical patient may need up to a week to recover before returning to normal activities.

Alternative treatments for gallstones include:

• Oral bile acid dissolution therapy.
• Contact solvent dissolution.
• Mechanical extraction through a catheter placed into the gallbladder either through the skin or through and endoscope.
• Fragmentation through shock-wave lithotripsy combined with bile acid dissolution.

Each of these alternative treatments leave the gallbladder in place. Because the gallbladder is not removed during these treatments many patients face a significant risk of recurrence

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