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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Is Gallstones Best Treated?

I was recently diagnosed with gall stones. I was told they most come out. I am very healthy. I do not eat a lot of fatty foods. I only have an occassional flair up. I would rather find an alternative as I have been reading that gall stones can be desolved. Even though I have been diagnosed with gall stones. My doctor already has run a ultrasound, I have been scheduled for a endoscopy and now I was called that doctors wants to do another procedure I think it is a ERCP. This is similar to the other test I am scheduled for. I am not rich either.
Mon, 27 Oct 2014
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Gastroenterologist, Surgical 's  Response
Hi ,
How are you? My name is Dr Suresh Raghavaiah. I am a surgical gastroenterologist and I will attempt to answer your question.
Cholelithiasis or gall bladder stones is a very common finding in scans of the abdomen. 10% to 20% of population will develop stones at some time in their lifetime. Up to 80% of these patients will never experience biliary pain or complications such as acute cholecystitis, cholangitis, or pancreatitis. Hence, most gallstones are clinically "silent," and is an incidental finding often uncovered during abdominal ultrasound being performed for another reason. People with such asymptomatic cholelithiasis, however, eventually may develop symptoms (biliary pain) that require treatment, but this risk is quite low. An even lower proportion (1-2%) may develop major gallstone complications. Therefore, expectant management is an appropriate choice for silent gallstones in the general population. The exception is patients at high risk for experiencing biliary complications - Large gallstones (>3 cm) or gallbladders crammed with stones that carry a higher risk of developing gallbladder cancer.
In your case because of the pain, I would get operated on. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a fairly simple, safe and routine surgery done in most surgical centers.
Unfortunately once the stones have been formed, there is no medications which will help in treating them and there is no treatment to dissolve them.
Hope this helps and hope you start to feel better soon.
Please do not hesitate to contact me for any further clarifications.
Have a great day
Dr Suresh Raghavaiah
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How Is Gallstones Best Treated?

Hi , How are you? My name is Dr Suresh Raghavaiah. I am a surgical gastroenterologist and I will attempt to answer your question. Cholelithiasis or gall bladder stones is a very common finding in scans of the abdomen. 10% to 20% of population will develop stones at some time in their lifetime. Up to 80% of these patients will never experience biliary pain or complications such as acute cholecystitis, cholangitis, or pancreatitis. Hence, most gallstones are clinically silent, and is an incidental finding often uncovered during abdominal ultrasound being performed for another reason. People with such asymptomatic cholelithiasis, however, eventually may develop symptoms (biliary pain) that require treatment, but this risk is quite low. An even lower proportion (1-2%) may develop major gallstone complications. Therefore, expectant management is an appropriate choice for silent gallstones in the general population. The exception is patients at high risk for experiencing biliary complications - Large gallstones ( 3 cm) or gallbladders crammed with stones that carry a higher risk of developing gallbladder cancer. In your case because of the pain, I would get operated on. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a fairly simple, safe and routine surgery done in most surgical centers. Unfortunately once the stones have been formed, there is no medications which will help in treating them and there is no treatment to dissolve them. Hope this helps and hope you start to feel better soon. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any further clarifications. Have a great day Dr Suresh Raghavaiah