Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for gallstones that are causing pain. There are other options for treatment of gallstones which include dissolution therapy, shock wave therapy and even endoscopic approach. However, the failure rates are higher and most of these therapies are prone to recurrence and other complications. As such, such therapies are restricted to certain categories of patients.
In balancing the pros and cons, in an experienced centre with good surgical and anesthetic support, it is safer and more efficient to treat symptomatic gallstones with a simple surgery. In my experience, when the gallstones have not evolved to a complicated situation, the surgery can be done safely through a 'scarless' technique which can be completed within half an hour with minimal post surgery pain.
