Gallstones

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Cholecystolithiasis	Cholelithiasis	Digestive system	Gallbladder
Gallbladder	Gallbladder removal - series	Gallstones, cholangiogram	Kidney cyst with gallstones, CT scan

Gallstones are formed within the gallbladder, an organ that stores bile excreted from the liver. Bile is made up of water, salts, lecithin, cholesterol, and other substances. If the concentration of these components changes, gallstones may form.

Gallstones may be as small as a grain of sand, or they may become as large as an inch in diameter, depending on how long they have been forming.

Cholelithiasis

Gallstones often have no symptoms and are usually discovered by a routine x-ray, surgery, or autopsy.

Gallstones are a common health problem worldwide. They are more common in women, Native Americans, and people over the age of 40.

Other risk factors include ethnic and hereditary factors, obesity, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, long-term intravenous nutrition, and some operations for peptic ulcers.

Review Date: 10/27/2005
Reviewed By: Courtney W. Houchen, M.D., Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.