Abstract
It has been estimated that 20 million people in the United States have gallstone disease. The choice of the optimal management strategy for a patient with symptomatic gallstones in the 1990s will take into account the clinical status of the patient, the characteristics of the gallstones, and the patient's preference. Only patients whose doctors understand the advantages and disadvantages of the newer methods can make properly informed choices. When interventional radiologic alternatives to cholecystectomy are being contemplated, one approach is to first consider the patient's clinical presentation (acute or nonacute) and then their risk of death after cholecystectomy (low or high). Figure 5 shows an algorithmic approach to the management of gallbladder stones based on this concept. This algorithm also can be used as a framework for discussion of treatment options with any individual patient.
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