Treatment of Gallstones

Anyone who has been diagnosed with gallstones are recommended to eat a well balanced, low-fat, high-fibre diet with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains and to limit the amount of animal fat, butter, margarine, mayonnaise and fried foods that they eat.

The majority of people with gallstones do not display any symptoms, and so do not require any treatment. However, if symptoms do occur, then there are a number of possible treatments available.

Cholesterol stones may be dissolved by drugs known as chenodeoxycholic acid or ursodeoxycholic acid (both bile acids); however, this treatment is costly and may take months or years to be fully effective. Stones may also be broken down into smaller pieces in a procedure known as lithotripsy. This process uses ultrasonic shock waves to break up the gallstones so that they may be passed safely in the faeces.

However, if troublesome gallstones do not respond to treatment, then it may be necessary to remove the gall bladder in an operation known as cholecystectomy. This procedure may be carried put in one of two ways: open surgery or laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. The majority of gallbladder surgery is performed using a laparoscope, a pencil-thin tube that is inserted into the abdomen through a small incision. This minimally-invasive procedure produces little scarring and enable the patient to return to normal activity with a few days. However, if the gallbladder has become badly infected, then the doctor will usually remove it through a large abdominal incision. Recovery from open surgery typically entails up to a week's stay in the hospital, followed by several weeks at home.