Can Keyhole Surgery Remove The Gall Stone With Less Recovery Time?

Hi, sometime around February my father developed (a?) gallstone(s?). He's been drinking lemon juice + water to keep the pain at bay but every now and then he will be unable to move from a (very awkward) position due to quite severe pain. He has recently had major surgery for other aspects and tells me that he won't have the stones removed because:
a) he hates the whole process of anaesthetic, waking up and 'learning' to walk again.
b) he doesn't have enough leave from work to recover after surgery.

Now he is a theatre nurse himself, but I was wondering, wouldn't keyhole surgery be much easier, quicker recovery, and generally less pain? If so, wouldn't that be an option for him, and if not, why not?