### instruction:
If you are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description.

### input:
I have gallstones found through routine ultrasound. I had 3 major attacks so far but avoided hospital. thouhgt I had a heart attack as it was so painful. Can I avoid surgery and get rid of those stones. I am not overweight now but was about 15 pounds. Thank you.

### output:

Hi, How are you? My name is Chat Doctor.  I am a surgical gastroenterologist and I will attempt to answer your question. Cholelithiasis or gall bladder stones is a very common finding in scans of the abdomen. 10% to 20% of population will develop stones at some time in their lifetime. Up to 80% of these patients will never experience biliary pain or complications such as acute cholecystitis, cholangitis, or pancreatitis. Hence, most gallstones are clinically "silent," and is an incidental finding often uncovered during abdominal ultrasound being performed for another reason. People with such asymptomatic cholelithiasis, however, eventually may develop symptoms (biliary pain) that require treatment, but this risk is quite low. An even lower proportion (1-2%) may develop major gallstone complications. Therefore, expectant management is an appropriate choice for silent gallstones in the general population. The exception is patients at high risk for experiencing biliary complications - Large gallstones (>3 cm) or gallbladders crammed with stones that carry a higher risk of developing gallbladder cancer. In your case because of the pain, I would get operated on. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a fairly simple, safe and routine surgery done in most surgical centers. Unfortunately once the stones have been formed, there are no medications which will help in treating them. Hope this helps and hope you start to feel better soon. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any further clarifications. Have a great day