In medicine, gallstones (choleliths) are crystalline bodies formed within the body by accretion or concretion of normal or abnormal bile components.

Gallstones can occur anywhere within the biliary tree, including the gallbladder and the common bile duct. Obstruction of the common bile duct is choledocholithiasis; obstruction of the biliary tree can cause jaundice; obstruction of the outlet of the pancreatic exocrine system can cause pancreatitis. Cholelithiasis is the presence of stones in the gallbladder—chole- means "bile", lithia means "stone", and -sis means "process".

Treatment of Gallstones

Medical options

Cholesterol gallstones can sometimes be dissolved by oral ursodeoxycholic acid. Gallstones may recur however, once the drug is stopped. Obstruction of the common bile duct with gallstones can sometimes be relieved by endoscopic retrograde sphinceterotomy (ERS) following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). A common misconception is that the use of ultrasound (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy) can be used to break up gallstones. Although this treatment is highly effective against kidney stones, it can only rarely be used to break up the softer and less brittle gallstones.

Surgical options

Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) has a 99% chance of eliminating the recurrence of cholelithiasis. Only symptomatic patients must be indicated to surgery. The lack of a gall bladder does not seem to have any negative consequences in many people. However, there is a significant proportion of the population, between 5-40%, who develop a condition called postcholecystectomy syndrome. Symptoms include gastrointestinal distress and persistent pain in the upper right abdomen. There are two surgery options for gall stone problems: open procedure and laparoscopic.

• Open cholecystectomy procedure: This involves a large incision into the abdomen (laparotomy) below the right lower ribs. You’ll basically have to go through a week of hospitalization after going through this procedure. After which, you’ll have to wait a week after release to be able to eat a normal diet, and then a month after release to regain the ability for normal activity.
• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a procedure wherein the doctor puts in 3-4 small puncture holes in your stomach for camera and instruments (available since the 1980s). It’s typically a surgical method that ends up with a same day release or one night hospital stay, followed by a week of home rest and pain medication. You can resume normal diet and light activity a week after release, but expect a decreased energy level and minor residual pain for a month or two.

Studies have shown that this procedure is as effective as the more invasive open cholecystectomy, provided that the stones are accurately located by cholangiogram prior to the procedure so that they can all be removed. The procedure also has the benefit of reducing operative complications such as bowel perforation and vascular injury.

Alternative Medicine

A regimen called a "gallbladder flush" or "liver flush" is a popular remedy in alternative medicine. In this treatment—often self-administered—the patient drinks four glasses of apple cider and eats five apples per day for five days, then fasts briefly, takes magnesium and then drinks large quantities of lemon or grapefruit juice mixed with olive oil or other oil before bed. The next morning, they painlessly pass a number of green and brown pebbles purported to be stones flushed from the biliary system.

A New Zealand hospital analyzed stones from a typical gallbladder flush and found them to be composed of fatty acids similar to those in olive oil, with no detectable cholesterol or bile salts, demonstrating that they are little more than hardened olive oil. Despite the gallbladder flush, the patient still required surgical removal of multiple true gallstones. The note concluded: "The gallbladder flush may not be entirely worthless; however; there is one case report in which treatment with olive oil and lemon juice resulted in the passage of numerous gallstones, as demonstrated by ultrasound examination."

In the case mentioned, ultrasound confirmed multiple gallstones, but after waiting months for a surgical option, the patient underwent a treatment with olive oil and lemon juice resulting in the passage of four 2.5 cm by 1.25 cm stones and twenty pea-sized stones. Two years later symptoms returned, and ultrasound showed a single large gallstone; the patient chose to have this removed surgically.

Causes of Gallstones

Progress has been made in understanding the process of gallstone formation. Researchers believe that gallstones may be caused by a combination of factors, including inherited body chemistry, body weight, gallbladder motility (movement) and perhaps diet. Additionally, people with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) are at increased risk to develop gallstones.

Cholesterol gallstones develop when bile contains too much cholesterol and not enough bile salts. Besides a high concentration of cholesterol, two other factors seem to be essential in causing gallstones. The first is how often and how well the gallbladder contracts; incomplete and infrequent emptying of the gallbladder may cause the bile to become too concentrated and contribute to gallstone formation. The second factor is the presence of proteins in the liver and bile that either promote or inhibit cholesterol crystallization into gallstones.

In addition, increased levels of the hormone estrogen as a result of pregnancy, hormone therapy or the use of combined (estrogen-containing) forms of hormonal contraception may increase cholesterol levels in bile and also decrease gallbladder movement, resulting in gallstone formation.

No clear relationship has been proven between diet and gallstone formation. However, low-fiber, high-cholesterol diets and diets high in starchy foods have been suggested as contributing to gallstone formation. Other nutritional factors that may increase risk of gallstones include rapid weight loss, constipation, eating fewer meals per day, eating less fish and low intakes of the nutrients folate, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C. On the other hand, wine and whole grain bread may decrease the risk of gallstones.

Characteristics of Gallstones

The characteristics of gallstones are various. Independent of appearance, however, gallstones from animals are valuable on the market.

• Size: A gallstone’s size varies and may be as small as a sand grain or as large as a golf ball. The gallbladder may develop a single, often large, stone or many smaller ones. May occur in any part of the biliary system
• Content: Gallstones have different appearance, depending of their contents. On the basis of their contents, gallstones can be subdivided into the two following types below.

1. Cholesterol stones: Cholesterol stones are usually green, but are sometimes white or yellow in color and account for about 80 percent of gallstones. They are made primarily of cholesterol.
2. Pigment stones: Pigment stones are small, dark stones made of bilirubin and calcium salts that are found in bile. They account for the other 20 percent of gallstones. Risk factors for pigment stones include cirrhosis, biliary tract infections and hereditary blood cell disorders, such as sickle cell anemia and Spherocytosis. Stones of mixed origin also occur.

Symptoms of Gallstones

Gall stones usually remain asymptomatic initially. They start developing symptoms once the stones reach a certain size (>8mm). A main symptom of gallstones is commonly referred to as a gallstone "attack", also known as biliary colic, in which a person will experience intense pain in the upper abdominal region that steadily increases for approximately thirty minutes to several hours.

A victim may also encounter pain in the back, ordinarily between the shoulder blades, or pain under the right shoulder. In some cases, the pain develops in the lower region of the abdomen, nearer to the pelvis, but this is less common. Nausea and vomiting may occur.

These attacks are intensely painful, similar to that of a kidney stone attack. One way to alleviate the abdominal pain is to drink a full glass of water at the start of an attack to regulate the bile in the gallbladder, but this does not work in all cases. Another way is to take magnesium followed by a bitter liquid such as coffee or Swedish bitters an hour later. Bitter flavors stimulate bile flow. A study has found lower rates of gallstones in coffee drinkers.

In any case, now that you know most everything there is to know about gallstones, your health will be safe once again. Just remember to make use of these tips and information before it’s too late.