What are gallstones?
Gallstones are hardened deposits that form in the gallbladder, often due to a diet high in fat or refined sugars, and are more common with age or family history. They can cause symptoms like severe abdominal pain when they block the gallbladder duct or cause inflammation.
If gallstones move into the common bile duct, they can lead to serious conditions like jaundice, bile duct infections (cholangitis), or pancreatitis, which may be life-threatening.
Doctors may recommend gallbladder removal surgery (cholecystectomy) to help your symptoms and prevent complications. The decision to proceed with the surgery is yours, based on a discussion of the risks and benefits.
Are there any alternatives to surgery?
Surgery is the best and dependable treatment for gallstones but alternative strategies include:
- Leaving the gallstones untreated: This may lead to complications in the future.
- Stone fragmentation: Medications can dissolve or break stones into smaller pieces, but these methods often have side effects, high failure rates, and the stones typically return.
- Antibiotics: Only useful for treating gallbladder infections.
- Dietary changes: A low-fat diet may help reduce pain but often leads to consuming more carbohydrates, which can contribute to stone formation.
These alternatives do not cure the condition, and symptoms are likely to recur.