Objective: To investigate the relationship between cholesterol gallstones and cholesterol polyps. Methods: One hundred and seventy-two patients undergoing laparoscopic gallbladder-sparing surgery for gallbladder stones or polyps (more than 3 years after surgery) were selected by sampling. Of them, 119 were gallbladder stone patients, 39 were gallbladder polyp patients and 14 were gallbladder stone and polyp patients. The postoperative recurrences of stone and polyp of the patients were observed. Results: Of the 119 gallbladder stone patients, postoperative stone recurrence occurred in 24 cases, and no new polyp growth was noted. Of the 39 gallbladder polyp patients, postoperative polyp recurrence occurred in 3 cases and new stone formation was found in one patient. Of the 14 patients with gallbladder stones and polyps, postoperative polyp recurrence occurred in 2 cases, of whom, one case had simultaneous stone recurrence. The difference in recurrence between gallbladder stones and gallbladder polyps had a statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion: Cholesterol gallstones and cholesterol polyps may be mutually independent diseases of different pathogeneses. However, gallbladder polyps may probably influence cholesterol gallstone formation and cause relatively high postoperative stone recurrence by affecting the liquid state of the bile in the gallbladder, so preservation of the gallbladder is not recommended in surgical management for gallbladder stone patients presenting with gallbladder polyps.