Gall Stones - Commonly Asked Questions

Gall stones are one of the most common surgical problems requiring hospitalization of surgery. Though gall stones can happen to any person, there are some common risk factors like female gender, obesity, pregnancy, fatty food. Some less common risk factors are Crohn's disease. gastric surgery, terminal ileal resection, hereditary spherocytosis, thalassemia and sickle cell disease.

It can be hereditary if associated with obesity (BMI> 30)

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The answer is NO. Gall bladder stones can be seen in 36% of normal population. But all these people do not require surgery. Only those patients with gall stone who have acute cholecystitis, symptoms from gall bladder disease, empyema ( pus in the gall bladder), h/o gall stones with slippage of stone in bile duct, diabetic patients and during bariatric surgery require surgery for gall bladder removal​.

Only those patients with gall stone who have acute cholecystitis, symptoms from gall bladder disease, empyema (pus in the gall bladder), h/o gall stones with slippage of stone in bile duct, diabetic patients and during bariatric surgery require surgery for gall bladder removal.

• Gall bladder perforation: A rent develops is the delicate wall of the gall bladder which normally is less than 3mm. This happens due to repeated injury from the underlying stones in the gall bladder.

• Empyema (Pus) Gall Bladder: The stone gets stuck at the neck of gall bladder and causes of the blockage of bile (fluid inside the gall bladder). The bile within the gall bladder gets infected and results in formation of pus.

• Acute Cholecystitis: Gall baldder stones cause inflammation and swelling of the gall blader resulting in pain abdomen +/- nausea , vomiting

• Cholangitis: Jaundice, fever and abdominal pain due to slippage of gall bladder stones into bile duct. This can become a surgical emergency if not treated early.

• Acute Pancreatitis: Apart from blockage of the bile duct, the slippage of stones can also block the pancreatic duct and cause acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis if severe can become a serious life threatening condition, requiring prolonged hospitalization.

• Biliary Dyskinesia

• Chronic Cholecystitis: Long standing gall bladder stones causing recurrent cholecystitis and resulting in thickened and at times shrunken gall bladder

• Gall Bladder Cancer: There is a strong association between gall stones and gall bladder cancer which is present in 75% to 90% cases.

Ultrasound is the most useuful test for detection of gall bladder stones.

Based on your doctor's assessment and laboratory reports, further testing like CT or MRI/ MRCP may be required if any complication from gall bladder stones is suspected.

Laparoscopic gall bladder removal is the standard and the ideal treatment if any one has the above mentioned reasons to undergo surgery. ​ Open surgery is reserved for rare cases only.