[Gallstone therapy--cooperation or competition?]

The gold standard in the therapy of the gallstone disease ist cholecystectomy, which today is performed by way of a minilap-cholecystectomy. Therapies in competition with the operative treatment are: oral chemolitholysis, shock wave lithotripsy and the direct, intraluminal methods of lithotripsy. For each procedure there is a special range of indications; therefore treatment of gallbladder stones should be decided on individually, as each therapeutic procedure has its advantages and disadvantages.