GALLSTONES PROGNOSIS

Forty percent of all patients with gallstones have "silent gallstones" that produce no symptoms. Silent stones, discovered only when their presence is indicated by tests performed to diagnose other symptoms, do not require treatment.

Gallstone problems that require treatment can be surgically corrected. Although most patients recover, some develop infections that must be treated with antibiotics.

In rare instances, severe inflammation can cause the gallbladder to burst. The resulting infection can be fatal.