Monday, September 21, 2009

What are gallstones?

What are gallstones?
Gallstones are a small pebble like things, found in the gallbladder and are made of bilirubin, cholesterol and other waste products. The size of these gallstones range from small particulate grains to 3-4 cm large stones. This is a common gallbladder disease, all over the world. Although, the condition may be asymptomatic in most cases, larger gallstones can definitely lead to severe symptoms. Gallstones is called a costly disease because the treatment is pretty expensive.

Gallstones form when there is an excess of bilirubin or cholesterol in the bile. The bile salts are insufficient to dissolve these substances. As a result, they go on accumulating in the bile duct and lead to formation of gallstones. If these gallstones are not removed on time, they can be painful for the person. This is a disorder that is more prevalent in women than in men. However, elderly men with obesity problem, are also prone to gallstones.
Source: buzzle.com

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