How Choledocholithiasis Is Treated

Stone Extraction

Removal of the gallbladder is only employed where other techniques have failed. As highlighted earlier, gallstones are incredibly stubborn, and they will rarely go away on their own. In cases where they cause severe symptoms, a surgeon can employ stone extraction techniques to remove them.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is one of the standard procedures surgeons use to remove gallstones that have blocked ducts. During the procedure, an endoscope is inserted into your gastrointestinal tract through the mouth. Once it reaches the duodenum, the surgeon identifies the affected bile duct, and an instrument on the endoscope makes a small incision on the duct to remove the gallstone.

It’s worth it to note gallstones can still form even after the gallbladder has been removed. These stones may form in a few weeks, months, or even years after cholecystectomy. However, the two-step ERCP procedure has proved successful in removing gallstones that keep reoccurring.

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