DEAR DR. ROACH: What advice do you have for the treatment of gallstones? — N.W.

ANSWER: Gallstones are common (6% of men and 9% of women will get one over a lifetime) and are mostly composed of bile salts and cholesterol. The goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms and the risk of complications. Depending on the size and composition of a person’s gallstones, there are different therapies available.

The most common treatment for symptomatic gallstones is surgery. Surgery is highly effective, although there are complications such as bleeding, infection and leaks. About 10% of people will develop diarrhea after surgery, which tends to get better over weeks to months but sometimes requires treatment with a bile-acid-binding drug like cholestyramine. Surgery is performed laparoscopically, w

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