One of the most common questions encountered by surgeons in their practice is this: \u201cDoctor, I have gallstones; do I need to undergo Surgery?\u201d A few others include \u201cDo gallstones disappear with pills?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy gallstone was 0.5 cms in size, then it grew to 1 cm and now, it is 0.7 cms\u2026.Why is it so doctor ?\u201c , \u201cis it mandatory to remove the gallbladder or can removal of the stone alone address the problem?\u201d, \u201cDoctor, I heard from my neighbor that gallbladder removal can cause problems later in life, is that true?\u201d and so on. In this article, I will try to address some of these vexing questions.<\/p>\n
What is gallbladder?<\/strong><\/p>\n The gallbladder is a pear shaped organ located in the right upper abdomen. It acts as a reservoir of bile and aids in digestion by pumping out bile when food enters into the small intestine. Gallstones occur as a result of solidification of bile components. The two main types of gallstones are cholesterol stones (80%, yellow in color) and pigment stones (black: due to infection).<\/p>\n Causes of gallstones<\/strong> 2. Gender (more common in women)<\/p>\n 3. Excessive cholesterol in bile (Diet, dyslipidaemia, drugs incl. oral contraceptives & fibrates, obesity)<\/p>\n 4. Decreased contractility of gallbladder<\/p>\n 5. Blood disorders (Haemolytic Anaemias)<\/p>\n 6. Rapid weight loss (esp. following bariatric surgery)<\/p>\n
\n1. Genetics, ethnicity<\/p>\n