[Surgical indications in the asymptomatic gallstone]

As long as long-term observations of operated and nonoperated patients with silent gallstones are missing, the question of general, differentiated or absent indication for operation in such cases cannot be answered by facts. To day only by 20% of people with gallstones are operated. 50-70% of those with silent gallstones probably remain free of complaints and symptoms during life. Each case of symptomatic cholelithiasis must be operated as soon as possible, but a general indication for operation of really silent gallstones cannot be advocated.