Gallstones occur in about twenty percent of women. It is prevalent in much of Europe, America and Canada, but prevalence variations are noted among ethnic women. Relatives of the first degree (children, siblings, parents) of people that suffer from gallstones are about one and half times more likely to suffer from this condition. Gallstones are described as hard particles that are crystal like in appearance that form within the gallbladder. Cholesterol stones typically appear yellow or white and are seen in about eighty percent of gallstone cases. The remaining twenty percent is made up of small stones of dark pigment consisting of calcium salts and bilirubin. Gallstones may appear in size as little as a grain of sand to as big as golf balls. These can develop within the gallbladder as one big stone or several big ones.
The pear shaped and small organ known as the gallbladder is found on the right side of the abdomen, underneath the liver. It purposes are to concentrate and store bile, as well as secret from small ducts bile into the smaller intestine to aid in digestion. Liver produced bile contains the bile pigmented bilirubin, bile salts (natural detergents, which aid in fat breakup), fats or lipids, cholesterol and water. Cholesterol gallstones feature a mainly cholesterol make up, which is released into bile by liver cells. Bile on the other hand is a liquid or aqueous solution in, which fats do not easily dissolve. The liver secretes two bile acids and lecithin that have detergent like properties. These compounds dissolve the fatty cholesterol for it to get carried through the ducts. If the cholesterol levels are higher than the lecithin and bile acids, some cholesterol is not dissolved, or if the lecithin and bile ducts levels are higher than the cholesterol levels, the undissolved fats form into cholesterol particles that grow larger to form gallstones.
Pigment gallstones come in two forms, brown pigmented and black pigmented gallstones. The pigment is hemoglobin waste products and the black pigmented gallstones are formed from excess bilirubin. These are old RBCs are broken down and changed to this substance, which is released into the bloodstream, which is then removed via the liver. The liver modifies bilirubin, which is then secreted into bile and is mixed with other bile components to form the dark brown pigment. Like cholesterol, pigment does not dissolve well in bile, sticking together forming particles, eventually forming gallstones.
