I've been dealing with gallstones and came across a couple of alternative treatments extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy ESWL and methyl tertiary butyl ether MTBE. Are these actually effective compared to gallbladder surgery? I'm a bit worried about going under the knife and wanted to know if these options are safe or worth considering.

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Dr Kamran Mohammed

General Practitioner

MBBS
FIDM
5+ Yrs

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While extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) are sometimes considered for gallstones, gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) is generally the preferred and most effective treatment for symptomatic gallstones. ESWL and MTBE have limited use and are often not recommended for long-term management due to the high likelihood of stone recurrence.

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Answered 14/08/2025

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