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Suggest Treatment For Slowly Increasing Gall Bladder Stone
Question: Hi,
My wife has a 6 mm stone in Galbladder. We found this 5 years back during a routine ultrasound, at that time the size of this stone was around 3 mm. She has never experienced any problem due to this stone. I want to know, if we should go for surgery or can we leave it as is. If we should go for surgery, what are the options available, is there a way to just remove this stone or the entire galbladder will need to be removed.
My wife has a 6 mm stone in Galbladder. We found this 5 years back during a routine ultrasound, at that time the size of this stone was around 3 mm. She has never experienced any problem due to this stone. I want to know, if we should go for surgery or can we leave it as is. If we should go for surgery, what are the options available, is there a way to just remove this stone or the entire galbladder will need to be removed.
Brief Answer:
right now there is no need for surgery
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Welcome to HealthcareMagic .
I read your query and understand your concern .
In case of your wife the stone has increased in size very slowly. So it may not grow further or may regress. Surgery is done only when-
1)size of single stone is more then 2.5cm or
2)multiple small stones or
3)any size with complain of pain or presence of infection.
so for your wife right now surgery is not needed in my view as it is found in scan and she don't have any symptoms.
I would advice her to reduce intake of fatty foods and repeat ultrasound yearly once or if she gets pain.
If she shows symptoms of infection like indigestion or pain then sugery would be advised.
Surgery options are open or laparoscopic removal of whole gall bladder . It is always preferred to remove whole gall bladder with stones as the gall bladder will be diseased so if left it may again form stones in future.
Nowadays laparoscopy is taken as standard of treatment for removal of gall bladder.
I would suggest you to consult your doctor and discuss use of drug like urisodeoxycholic acid which have shown results in dissolutions of small asymptotic stones.
Hope I have answered your query . If any further queries are there I would love to help .
Regards
Dr.Deepika Patil
right now there is no need for surgery
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Welcome to HealthcareMagic .
I read your query and understand your concern .
In case of your wife the stone has increased in size very slowly. So it may not grow further or may regress. Surgery is done only when-
1)size of single stone is more then 2.5cm or
2)multiple small stones or
3)any size with complain of pain or presence of infection.
so for your wife right now surgery is not needed in my view as it is found in scan and she don't have any symptoms.
I would advice her to reduce intake of fatty foods and repeat ultrasound yearly once or if she gets pain.
If she shows symptoms of infection like indigestion or pain then sugery would be advised.
Surgery options are open or laparoscopic removal of whole gall bladder . It is always preferred to remove whole gall bladder with stones as the gall bladder will be diseased so if left it may again form stones in future.
Nowadays laparoscopy is taken as standard of treatment for removal of gall bladder.
I would suggest you to consult your doctor and discuss use of drug like urisodeoxycholic acid which have shown results in dissolutions of small asymptotic stones.
Hope I have answered your query . If any further queries are there I would love to help .
Regards
Dr.Deepika Patil
Note: For further inquiries on surgery procedure and its risks or complications book an appointment now
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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