Can the gallstones be dissolved?
Whilst there are medications available to dissolve gallstones, their use is quite unpopular for several reasons: The gallbladder has to be functioning Stones ought to be of a certain type (cholesterol stones) Stones ought to be small in size (less than 15 mm) Medications need to be taken for 2 years As a result, only a small proportion of patients are suitable for this therapy and many patients drop out of treatment due to side effects. This treatment is therefore only successful in less than a third of patients, and in most the stones recur after discontinuation of treatment. We would only recommend this therapy in patients unfit for surgery.
