Gallstones: when is surgery needed?
Gallstones are common and are often found by chance on an ultrasound done for another reason. Current guidelines advise that gallstones that have never caused symptoms usually do not need surgery. For people who develop gallstone pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas caused by a stone), research has shown that removing the gallbladder during the same hospital stay, once a mild attack has settled, lowers the chance of another serious attack compared with waiting weeks.
What this means for you
- If your gallstones were found by chance and have never caused pain, surgery is usually not needed.
- If you have had gallbladder attacks (pain in the upper right or middle of the abdomen, often after meals, lasting more than 30 minutes), removing the gallbladder is usually recommended, because attacks tend to come back.
- Gallbladder removal is almost always done laparoscopically, and most patients go home the same day.
- Most people digest food normally without a gallbladder.
Talk to your surgeon
Your surgeon will review your symptoms and ultrasound to help you decide whether surgery is right for you. Summit Surgical sees patients by referral only — ask your family doctor or another physician to fax a referral to 587-392-0375.
Sources (for clinicians)
European Association for the Study of the Liver. EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gallstones. J Hepatol. 2016;65(1):146–181.
da Costa DW, et al. Same-admission versus interval cholecystectomy for mild gallstone pancreatitis (PONCHO): a multicentre randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2015;386:1261–1268.
Reviewed by the surgeons of Summit Surgical, October 2026. General information only — your surgeon will advise on your own situation.
