Gallstones

Introduction
Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in gallbladder. Gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of abdomen, just beneath liver. The main purpose of the gallbladder is to store and concentrate bile. Bile is a liquid produced by the liver, which helps digest fats. It is passed from the liver through a series of channels, known as bile ducts, into the gallbladder.

Symptoms
It is thought that gallstones develop because of an imbalance in the chemical make-up of bile inside the gallbladder. In most cases the levels of cholesterol in bile become too high and the excess cholesterol forms into stones. When bile contains too much cholesterol, bile contains too much bilirubin gallbladder doesn't empty correctly.

Treatment
Includes Surgical treatments,Open cholecystectomy: Non-surgical treatments: If gall stones are present in duct, it may be possible to remove them during an endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP). This test is used to diagnose gallstones.

Statistics
Gallstones causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The incidence and Prevalence of this disease is varying among different populations. It is reported that, in Hong Kong, Gallstones affects 15-22% of the total population. This disease mainly affects the age group of 18-35 years.