LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Gallbladder: Gallstones
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Gallbladder removal is the most common operation in North America. Every year, more than half a million people in the United States and more than 50,000 people in Canada undergo surgery to remove their gallbladders because of gallstones. Approximately 80% of all gallstones show no symptoms and may remain "silent" for years. Once symptoms arise, they persist and increase in frequency. The most common triggers for gallbladder attacks are caffeine, chocolate, eggs, dairy products (especially ice cream) and greasy or deep fried foods. Symptoms may include right upper quadrant abdominal discomfort or sharp pain, gas or fullness after a heavy meal.
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Gallbladder polyps that are larger than 1 centimeter are more likely to be cancerous. Treatment of larger gallbladder polyps may include surgical removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy). Your doctor may ... recommend cholecystectomy if you have a gallbladder polyp of any size accompanied with gallstones — a risk factor for gallbladder cancer.
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When gallstones exist, the gallbladder cannot contract efficiently. Therefore only stones in the front area of the gallbladder can be pushed out in the first flush. Then stones from the back area would slowly move forward and may cause problems again. The whole process should be repeated, including the use of GCG prior to the flush. It usually takes at least 3-4 flushes to clean out all the stones. Basically the flush should be repeated until hardly any stone comes out even though you have a good flush.
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If the gallbladder is unable to expel the stones and send them into the small intestine, the stones can be fragmented with sound waves or surgically removed. However, conventional therapy for most problems with the gallbladder remains cholecystectomy, or surgical removal of the gallbladder. With the advent of laparoscopic surgical techniques, this operation has become less traumatic and less disfiguring than in the past, requiring a small incision only an inch or so in length. About 20 percent of people with gallstones have symptoms so serious that this is the best option. The digestive system can function without the gallbladder, so removing it seldom causes serious adverse after effects.
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An alternative to surgery and gallstone removal by chemical dissolution is gallbladder flush. Traditional European folk remedy recommends the use of olive oil and lemon juice to flush the gallstones. A major concern is that if the stones are too big, they may not easily come out or may even get stuck on the way out. Traditional Chinese medicine recommends the use of "Gold Coin Grass (GCG)" (botanical name: Herba Lysimachiae, Chinese sound translation: Chin-chien Tsao) to crush and soften the stones so that they will come out slowly. This tends to take a relatively long time. However, centuries of experience has shown that Gold Coin Grass (GCG) can be taken safely without side effects.
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In most situations gallbladder problems require surgical treatment. Since gallstones are often just a sign of the problem, treatment is directed towards the gallbladder rather than the gallstones. The treatment involves removing the gallbladder. This is done in most cases using laparoscopic surgery. Non-surgical treatments such as dissolution therapy and lithotripsy have a poor success rate and a high recurrence rate so are used only in very limited circumstances.
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Gallstones