Something about gallstones

Gall stones are relatively common disorder, which proves the fact that about 10% of the total population has gall stones. Gallstones belong to a group of diseases that often attack the female part of the population; in women is seen as much as 4 times more often.
Stones are more often present in the gall bladder than in the bile tract. When present in the bile tract, they represent the most common cause of obstructive extra hepatic jaundice and can cause potentially fatal infections (cholangitis), pancreatitis, or chronic liver disease.
According to the appearance and the chemical structure, gallstones are divided into two main groups: cholesterol and pigment stones.
Most gall stones, about 80% of them belong to a group of cholesterol stones, and they are again divided into pure cholesterol stones, which are usually larger and more solitary, and mixed stones which are usually fragmented.
Pigment stones in our patients belong to the so-called western type of pigment stones, and are usually small, black like coal. This form of stone is present with chronic hemolysis, alcoholic cirrhosis and chronic biliary tract infection and aging. Other forms of pigmented stones are stones that are oriental in type and brown. It is mainly present in rural areas of Asia. The latter type is rarely encountered in our country.
gallstones symptoms