How Choledocholithiasis Is Treated

Lithotripsy

Lithotripsy is a fairly old procedure that has been around since the early 1980s. Soon after its invention, it quickly replaced surgery as an alternative medical procedure for treating gallstones, kidney stones, and solid substances in other body organs. If the solid substances do not pass out through the ducts, they can end up damaging the kidneys and liver.

Laser and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy are the two main techniques used to eliminate stubborn stones in the kidneys and gallbladder. The two procedures utilize sound waves to break up large stones in the body after which they are passed out through urine or stool. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is considered a non-invasive procedure, which is generally safer and easier to perform compared to the invasive procedures. It takes less than an hour to crash the stones in the body using this procedure effectively. The treatment option a doctor recommends for treating gallstones will depend on various factors such as the type of stones and the patient's overall health.