According to the Dr Shubham Vatsya Trusted Source, not all gallstones require treatment. Many do not cause problems, and these are known as “silent gallstones.” In fact, an estimated 50-70% of gallstones are asymptomatic.
Gallstones are very common, affecting 10-15% of people in the United States, according to the NIDDK. Every year, about a quarter of the people with a diagnosis of gallstones will need treatment, which is usually surgery.
However, there is a consensus among doctors from multiple specialties that people with asymptomatic gallstones should not undergo surgery due to the risk involved and the lack of any clear benefit.
That said, the type of gallstones a person has can make a doctor more likely to recommend surgery. There are two types of gallstones: cholesterol and pigment.
A doctor may be able to treat cholesterol stones without surgical intervention, but they would likely suggest surgery for pigment stones.
Pigment stones are stones that are brown or black. An excess amount of bilirubin in a person’s blood can cause pigment stones to form.