Surgery By Keyhole Frequently Asked Questions about Gallstones
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| Q |
 Are gallstones hereditary? |
| A |  Yes, but they are also very common. There is no benefit is screening the population for gallstones, but to treat individuals appropriately once diagnosed. |
| Q |
Can gallstones be treated with antibiotics? |
| A | Yes and no. Antibiotics can temporarily reduce gallbladder inflammation and prevent some of the more serious complications from occurring in the short-term. However, the gallstones and chronic inflammation remain, and the symptoms will flair up again after a period of time, and may be more intense. We would therefore recommend keyhole surgery as soon as possible. There is no place for long-term antibiotics. |
| Q |
Why are symptoms made worse by fatty foods? |
| A | The presence of fat-rich foods in the stomach and duodenum causes the release of gut hormones, which cause the gallbladder to contract and expel the bile. However, if the gallbladder contains stones of is inflamed this exacerbates the symptoms of pain, particularly if a stone is forced into the cystic duct (biliary colic). We therefore recommend a low fat diet until keyhole surgery has been performed. |
| Q |
What should I do if I think I have gallstones? |
| A | See your GP in the first instance. He or she will assess you, and either arrange some preliminary investigations or refer you directly to a Consultant Upper GI Surgeon. |
| Q |
Can I ask my surgeon about his or her conversion and bile duct injury rate? |
| A | Yes. |
| Q |
Can I request that my GP to refer me to a Specialist Consultant Upper GI Surgeon? |
| A | Yes. |
| Q |
Will I need stitches taken out? |
| A | No. |
| Q |
How quickly can I return back to work? |
| A | Depends on you and your occupation. There is no reason not to start working within a few days if you feel up to it. |
| Q |
Why do we need a gallbladder if it can be removed? |
| A | This is leftover from evolution (like the tonsils and appendix), and may have been very useful thousands of years ago when we had infrequent but large meals which needed to be digested completely to make use of all the nutrients. Our diet and lifestyle of several meals or snacks on daily basis have made this redundant. Wild animals such as lions and bears that hunt and have occasional large meals are very dependant on their gallbladder. Once gallstones have formed, the gallbladder ceases to work normally anyway. |
| Q |
Will I be able to eat fatty foods after surgery? |
| A | Yes, without the pain. |
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