Asymptomatic gallstones: should we operate?
Symptomatic gallstones are easy to treat, unfortunately however asymptomatic gallstones are as easy to treat. This creates a problem for health care planners in the form of the financial implications involved, since asymptomatic gallstones are even more common than gallstones associated with symptoms and require no surgical intervention, while the funds diverted towards dealing with them drains the health care establishment of much needed funds in an era of costly health care. In this review we attempt to clarify the fact that asymptomatic gallstones need no intervention in most cases, thereby saving the patient unnecessary surgery and the health care establishment costs, both in the financial form and in manpower.
Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia. kmurshid@yahoo.com
Khalid R
KR
Murshid