A cholycystectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the gall bladder (cholycyst), generally because gallstones are causing infection or pain in a patient. Removal of the gall bladder is the only effective treatment for gallstones as they will return if they are merely removed. In Finding Judas, House ordered that a cholycystectomy be performed on a five year old girl suffering from gallstones and obtained a court order to let the father overrule the mother's concerns over the surgery.