Gallstones: a short guide
Short patient information to print or keep.
What was found?
Gallstones may stay in the gallbladder without causing trouble. Typical attacks cause substantial upper abdominal pain, sometimes spreading to the back or right shoulder. Vague bloating or heartburn may have another cause.
What happens next?
I consider your symptoms, the stone location, blood tests and scans. Ultrasound usually checks the gallbladder. MRCP or endoscopic ultrasound may help if a bile duct stone is suspected. An ordinary gastroscopy cannot inspect the gallbladder or ducts.
Two different treatments
Gallstones found incidentally without symptoms or complications usually need no treatment. For recurrent typical attacks or complications, I can arrange a surgical opinion about gallbladder removal. It is usually done by keyhole surgery; an open operation with a larger cut is sometimes needed. You can live normally without a gallbladder, but surgery still has risks such as infection, bleeding, bile leakage or bile-duct injury, and recovery is longer after open surgery. ERCP can remove bile-duct stones or improve drainage, but does not remove the gallbladder. The surgeon will explain whether surgery is right for you and what recovery to expect.
Do not wait with warning symptoms
Seek urgent assessment for severe or continuing pain, fever or chills, yellow eyes or skin, or repeated vomiting. Fever with jaundice needs immediate help. Call 111 for collapse, confusion or severe illness with faintness, or if you cannot travel safely.
When to get urgent help
Seek urgent medical assessment for severe or continuing upper abdominal pain, fever or shaking chills, yellow eyes or skin, or repeated vomiting. Fever with jaundice or feeling very unwell needs immediate help.
Call 111 if you collapse, become confused, feel faint with severe illness or cannot travel safely.
General information. Follow your own care instructions.