Is there a way to cure gallstones without removing the gallbladder?

Doctor's Answers 1

Photo of Dr Wai Leong Quan
Dr Wai Leong Quan

Gastroenterologist

For symptomatic gallbladder stones, the right approach is surgical removal of the gallbladder together with the stones. This method is time proven and offers the best long term outcome, provided the patient is both fit and also keen for surgery.

Unfortunately, there is no effective, alternate method of removing gallstones at the moment. In selected cases with only a few small gallstones, medical treatment to dissolve the stone may be possible. This treatment requires oral medication for a long time and the result is not guaranteed, making it less attractive to both doctors and patients.

Rarely, the gallstones may move out of the gallbladder and threaten to obstruct the bile duct. Under such circumstances, an endoscopic procedure known as ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography) may be employed to remove the bile duct stones.

Since this procedure also enlarges the bile duct opening during stone removal, it may potentially minimise future chances of bile duct obstruction and infection.

Do suggest to your uncle to discuss with his surgeons on the risks and benefits of the surgery. He should also understand the risk of not removing the diseased gallbladder so that he can make an informed decision.

Similar Questions

Can gallstones disappear on their own and how dangerous is untreated gallstones?

In general, gallstones do not disappear easily without any treatment. In fact, once gallstones developed, they tend to increase in size and numbers over the years. The good news is that most patients with gallstones remained well without symptoms and the current recommendation for these cases is to maintain vigilance. In approximately 10 to 15% chance, people with gallstones develop abdominal discomfort or pain. If there is no other plausible explanation for the pain, surgical removal of the gallstones and the gallbladder is the recommended treatment.

Photo of Dr Wai Leong Quan

Answered By

Dr Wai Leong Quan

Gastroenterologist

Is it possible for gallstones to come back and cause pain, even after a gallbladder removal?

The primary function of the gallbladder is to temporarily store and, at the same time, concentrate the bile juice within. Unknown to many, bile juice is secreted by the liver and not the gallbladder. After leaving the liver, the bile juice enters and leaves the gallbladder through the cystic duct which connects the liver ducts to the gallbladder. We now understand that the gallbladder functions very similarly to a store room for spare bile. As such, removing the gallbladder will not have a great impact on one’s health and certainly should not cause a drastic deterioration.

Photo of Dr Wai Leong Quan

Answered By

Dr Wai Leong Quan

Gastroenterologist

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