Gallstones (gallstones)

Gallstones (gallstones)

    * Introduction
    * Signs and symptoms
    * Causes
    * Risk Factors
    * Diagnosis
    * Treatment
Gallstones is a condition that is presence of gallstones in the gallbladder, the organ that stores bile secreted by the liver.
Gallstones are composed in 80% of cases of crystallized cholesterol. Gallstones can form and the bile pigments, particularly in cases of serious liver disease or drepanocitoza. Gallstones form when there is an imbalance or a change in the composition of bile. Normally, bile acids, phospholipids, lecithin and helps maintain cholesterol solubility in bile. Biliary motility disorders, biliary stasis and bile content are factors that predispose to gallstone formation.
The size of gallstones varies from one individual to another, but most stones range from the size of a grain of sand, the size of a golf ball.
In 8 cases out of 10, this calculus is not clinically apparent. However, they can obstruction of the bile ducts leading from the liver to the small intestine, causing intense pain, known as biliary colic (hepatic). Asymptomatic gallstones are discovered incidentally during an abdominal ultrasound or CT. The intensity of symptoms does not depend on the size of gallstones. Sometimes, small stones can cause intense pain, while some large stones go unnoticed. Gallstones are more common in women than in men. The explanation is that hormones can cause increased secretion of cholesterol estrogen and progesterone promotes bile stasis. The risk of gallstones increases with age. The incidence of gallstones increases with a 3% per year. Over 70 years, between 10 and 15% of men are affected, compared with 25 -30% women. In children, this calculus is associated with congenital anomalies, biliary abnormalities or disease.