What are gallstones?
Gallstones are hardened deposits that form in the gallbladder, often composed of cholesterol or bile pigments. Typical symptoms caused by gallstones include abdominal pain and nausea and vomiting centred on the right side of the abdomen and often associated with certain types of food.
How can they be treated?
Gallstones are most commonly treated using minimally invasive surgery, performed either laparoscopically or with robotic assistance. The procedure involves removal of the gallbladder, which is the source of stone formation and symptoms, with the aim of relieving pain, preventing complications and returning patients back to a normal quality of life.
The procedure is performed under a general anaesthetic meaning patients are asleep for this. Once completed they will then go to recovery post-operatively before returning to the ward. Typically these procedures are performed on a day-case basis meaning that patients are able to recover post-operatively from the comfort of their own home.