The goal of this prospective observational study is to explore the role of the gut microbiome in patients with gallstone disease. The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are: * if there is a relationship between the gut microbiome and the development of complications associated with gallstone disease (such as pancreatitis and acute cholecystitis) * if there are changes in the gut microbiome following cholecystectomy and the relationship with patient outcomes. Participants will be asked to provide stool samples at fixed time points (recruitment, pre- and post-cholecystectomy if applicable and at 6 months and 3 years. They will also be asked to provide stool samples if they represent to hospital with complications associated with their gallstone disease.
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Bacterial DNA profile
Timeframe: through study completion, up to 3 years from cholecystectomy