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
