Surgery for gallstones that cause symptoms
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Surgery for gallstones that cause symptoms
Several conditions or situations may require surgery to remove the gallbladder. Surgery usually is needed when:
- Your gallbladder suddenly becomes inflamed or infected (cholecystitis).
- Gallstones cause repeated attacks of pain.
- You have growths called polyps in the gallbladder, usually larger than
, that are causing symptoms. - Gallstones cause inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
- A nonfunctioning gallbladder is causing symptoms.
- The gallbladder wall has calcified (porcelain gallbladder).
- You have gallstones and an impaired immune system.
Credits
| Author | Monica Rhodes |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology |
| Last Updated | August 2, 2007 |
| Last updated: | August 02, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Monica Rhodes |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology |
| Editors: | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman |
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