Gallstones Treatment 

Medical

Cholesterol gallstones could sometimes be dissolved by oral ursodeoxycholic acid, but it might be required that the patient takes this medication for up to 2 years. Gallstones might recur, however, once the drug is stopped. Obstruction of the common bile duct with gallstones could sometimes be relieved by endoscopic retrograde sphincterotomy following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography . Gallstones could be broken up using a procedure called lithotripsy , which is a method of concentrating ultrasonic shock waves onto the stones to break them into tiny pieces. They are then passed safely in the feces. However, this form of treatment is suitable only when there is a small number of gallstones.

Surgical

Cholecystectomy has a 99% chance of eliminating the recurrence of cholelithiasis. Only symptomatic patients must be indicated to surgery. The lack of a gallbladder might have no negative consequences in many people. However, there is a portion of the population — between 10 & 15% — who develop a condition called postcholecystectomy syndrome which might cause gastrointestinal distress & persistent pain in the upper-right abdomen, as well as a 10% chance of developing chronic diarrhea.

There are 2 surgical options for cholecystectomy -

• Open cholecystectomy - This procedure is performed via an incision into the abdomen below the right lower ribs. Recovery typically consists of 3–5 days of hospitalization, with a return to normal diet a week after release & normal activity several weeks after release.
• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy - This procedure, introduced in the 1980s, is performed via 3 to 4 small puncture holes for a camera & instruments. Post-operative care typically includes a same-day release or a 1 night hospital stay, followed by a few days of home rest & pain medication. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients can, in general, resume normal diet & light activity a week after release, with some decreased energy level & minor residual pain continuing for a month or two. Studies have shown that this procedure is as effective as the more invasive open cholecystectomy, provided the stones are accurately located by cholangiogram prior to the procedure so that they could all be removed.