Gallstones requiring gallbladder removal For gallbladder stones with symptoms or complications, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is recommended. Asymptomatic gallbladder stones can be considered for observation and regular follow-up. However, asymptomatic gallbladder stones with the following conditions should be actively considered for surgical treatment: stones >3 cm in diameter; concomitant gallbladder polyps; thickened gallbladder wall; calcified gallbladder wall or porcelain gallbladder; cardiopulmonary dysfunction; and gallbladder stones found for more than 10 years. Gallbladder polyps can become cancerous Gallbladder polyps can also become cancerous. Patients with gallbladder polyps with the following factors are recommended to have active surgical treatment: solitary polyps; diameter >1cm; patient’s age over 50 years; polyps found to be significantly larger on serial ultrasound examinations; adenomatous polyps or wide base; combined gallbladder stones or gallbladder wall thickening. Patients who do not have any of these factors may be considered for review of ultrasound every 6 months. Gallbladder removal does not affect digestion Many patients worry that gallbladder removal will affect digestive function afterwards. In fact, bile is mainly secreted by liver cells, and the gallbladder only plays the role of concentrating, storing and eliminating bile; it does not produce and secrete bile. Gallbladder removal does not affect digestive function. As gallbladder stones cause cholecystitis, the wall of gallbladder is thickened and has lost its original contraction function, so it is harmful to keep the gallbladder blindly at this time. Cholecystectomy is a minimally invasive surgery Laparoscopic minimally invasive cholecystectomy is currently the first choice for the treatment of gallbladder stones and gallbladder polyp lesions internationally. For cholecystectomy, this type of surgery is suitable for patients with good contractile gallbladder function, but its postoperative stone recurrence rate is extremely high. Gallbladder stone symptoms The main clinical manifestation of gallbladder stone is biliary colic, which usually occurs after a full meal or eating greasy food, and the pain is located in the right upper abdomen and may radiate to the back of the right shoulder, while a few patients only feel vague pain in the upper abdomen after a full meal, or have bloating and belching, which is often misdiagnosed as “stomach disease”.