Do Gallstones Require An Operation For Removal?

It is not always necessary to operate to remove the gallbladder when it is first detected to have stones. However, if a person is past sixty-five and requires an emergency operation for gallstones, he may have waited too long, for statistics show that death is from ten to twenty times as likely from such operations as from those performed earlier.
In times past some leading surgeons recommended removal of only the stones in certain cases rather than the removal of the gallbladder. However, often a second operation was required, and so today surgeons generally remove the gallbladder when stones give trouble, to avoid later complications, including perforation by the stones.
Obviously, prevention is better than operation. In view of what is known about gallstones, it would seem that one could minimize the likelihood of developing gallstones by watching one's diet. One should be careful not to eat too much rich food, especially sweets, meats and animal fats. Getting plenty of vitamin A and fresh vegetables is recommended. There is also evidence that lecithin acts as a deterrent to the forming of gallstones. Among the foods rich in lecithin are egg yolks (even though they are also high in cholesterol), soy beans, vegetable and olive oils, beef purine products (liver, heart, kidneys), wheat and other cereal germs and nuts. Also deserving attention if one is a sedentary worker is some regular exercise.

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It depends of how bad the gallstones are. But sometimes having gallstones can cause Jaundice. The liver secretes bile which is stored in your gallbladder. If the bile ducts are blocked with a gallstone it cause the bile ducts swell up and close and bilirubin enters in to the blood. So not only are gallstones painful they can cause further damage.

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