Gallstone disease: diagnosis and management

Treating gallstones in the gallbladder

If you have gallstones in your gallbladder but you don't have symptoms, your doctor should reassure you that you do not need any treatment.If the gallstones are causing you problems, you should be offered keyhole surgery to remove your gallbladder. This is because your symptoms are likely to come back after any other treatment for gallstones. If you need surgery, your doctor will be able to talk with you about what is involved. Depending on your social and medical circumstances, you may be able to go home on the same day you have your surgery.

If gallstones have caused an infection in your gallbladder, you should be offered surgery to remove it within a week of the infection being diagnosed.

Some people who have other conditions or illnesses may not be well enough to have their gallbladder removed. Your doctor should offer surgery again when you are well enough. Very rarely, normal alternatives to surgery (such as antibiotics) won't work, and if this is the case you may be offered a procedure to drain infected fluid from your gallbladder.