What size gallstones need surgery?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thai Binh - Gastroenterologist - Department of General Surgery - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital. The doctor has more than 20 years of experience working in the specialty of abdominal surgery.

There is no specific number to determine how large gallstones need surgery. Because not all cases of stones need surgery. Depends on the complications of the stone and the patient's health condition. From there the doctor prescribes the most appropriate.

In some cases, the size of stones in the gallbladder is only a few mm, and surgery is indicated, while there are people who have stones in the gallbladder as large as 1-2cm without surgical intervention.
Hepatobiliary experts said: “With gallstones without symptoms, surgery is not needed and vice versa, with gallstones causing chronic cholecystitis or acute complications, there is a risk of life-threatening complications. If life-threatening, a stone as small as a grain of sand is still indicated for cholecystectomy. Therefore, it can be said that cholecystectomy is not completely based on the size of large or small stones.
In addition, cholecystectomy or stone removal is recommended only if the stones cause acute complications or have potential risks (eg, large gallbladder polyps, multiple polyps). In some elderly people, when they have large gallstones, they are still advised to have cholecystectomy to prevent complications, because when they are older, they are not healthy enough for surgery.
All cases of symptomatic gallstones are indicated for treatment regardless of size and number of stones. With asymptomatic gallstones, the role of cholecystectomy and other treatments is unclear. However, some patients with high risk of gallbladder cancer such as porcelain gallbladder, stones associated with gallbladder polyps larger than 10mm, stones larger than 25mm, etc., need to apply gallstone surgery.

Gallstones are mostly silent, rarely cause pain, so no intervention is needed. But the gallbladder should be removed in patients with pain due to stones blocking the passage of bile causing cholecystitis. Today, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a very popular surgery to treat gallstones because it is less invasive.
Even though surgery only removes gallstones, it does not completely address the cause of the stones and the evidence shows that about 50% of the total stone cases treated by surgery will return stones within 3 years. - next 5 years.
Even so, surgery is still the most optimal solution to relieve the patient from pain and minimize the danger of complications in the following cases:
Gallstones cause recurrent cholecystitis patients often have severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea, bloating, which is harmful to health. Porcelain gallbladder (thick-walled, calcified) loses its ability to contract and concentrate bile. Stones stuck in narrow locations such as the neck of the gallbladder, often cause inflammatory pain. Gallstones combined with gallbladder polyps over 10mm Large stones over 2cm or stones occupy two-thirds of the gallbladder volume, affecting the operation of the gallbladder. Some special cases such as: people with diabetes who have gallstones are often advised to have their gallbladder removed even if there are no symptoms to prevent future risks.

When you have symptoms of gallstone disease, you should see a doctor at Vinmec International General Hospital. Vinmec regularly plans to cooperate in technology transfer and professional exchange with medical centers in countries with advanced medicine such as Japan, France, the US, Singapore, etc. Thanks to that, General Hospital Vinmec International Faculty always updates the earliest medical advances in the world in examination and treatment.

In particular, laparoscopic techniques to remove gallstones at the hospital will help patients get rid of the disease gently and quickly recover health, with the following advantages:
Success rate up to 98% Surgery and pain-free post-operative care Professional care by medical staff Performed by a team of doctors who are leading experts in gastroenterology - hepatobiliary, laparoscopic surgery equipment at Vinmec is the most modern in the region .