ABSTRACT
The majority of gallstones remain asymptomatic and silent throughout the life of an affected individual and it is estimated that only 20-30% of all patients ever develop symptoms. The risk of a patient with asymptomatic gallstones developing biliary-related symptoms is estimated at 1-2% per year, with a risk of 0.1% per year of developing severe complications such as gallbladder perforation or empyema.
