Recurrence of calculous pancreatitis is a common occurrence. In patients who do not undergo cholecystectomy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is beneficial in preventing recurrence, reducing the recurrence rate by 50%. However, gallstone pancreatitis remained as high as 8.2% after ERCP treatment, compared with a recurrence rate of only 5.4% in patients who underwent cholecystectomy. Therefore, for calculous pancreatitis, the decision of whether to perform ERCP or cholecystectomy in order to prevent recurrence should be individualized according to the patient’s condition. If there are no obvious contraindications to surgery, cholecystectomy is not a wise choice. What’s more, current laparoscopic techniques make cholecystectomy, no more expensive or risky than ERCP. It is currently believed that ERCP should not be used as a routine for the treatment of mild gallstone pancreatitis. In fact, mild gallstone pancreatitis can be safely treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy within 24 to 48 hours. Therefore, early consultation with a surgeon is recommended for patients with gallstone pancreatitis to see if laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be performed in a timely manner.