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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
It's not clear what causes gallstones to form. Doctors think gallstones may result when:
- Your bile contains too much cholesterol. Normally, your bile contains enough chemicals to dissolve the cholesterol excreted by your liver. But if your bile contains more cholesterol than can be dissolved, the cholesterol may form into crystals and eventually into stones. Cholesterol in your bile has no relation to the levels of cholesterol in your blood.
- Your bile contains too much bilirubin. Bilirubin is a chemical that's produced when your body breaks down red blood cells. Certain conditions cause your liver to make too much bilirubin, including liver cirrhosis, biliary tract infections and certain blood disorders.
- Your gallbladder doesn't empty correctly. If your gallbladder doesn't empty completely or often enough, bile may become very concentrated and this contributes to the formation of gallstones.
Types of gallstones
Types of gallstones that can form in the gallbladder include:
- Cholesterol gallstones. The most common type of gallstones, called cholesterol gallstones, often appears yellow in color. These gallstones are composed mainly of undissolved cholesterol, although they can also have other components.
- Pigment gallstones. These dark brown or black stones form when your bile contains too much bilirubin.
References
- Gallstones. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gallstones/index.htm. Accessed May 28, 2009.
- Understanding gallstones. American Gastroenterological Association. http://www.gastro.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5680. Accessed May 28, 2009.
- Choi Y, et al. Biliary tract disorders, gallbladder disorders and gallstone pancreatitis. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/biliary.asp?mode=print&. Accessed May 28, 2009.
- Browning JD, et al. Gallstone diseases. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/140200591-2/0/1389/0.html. Accessed May 28, 2009.
- What are the risk factors for gallbladder cancer? American Cancer Society. Accessed June 8, 2009.
- Rakel D. Cholelithiasis. In: Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/142209696-2/0/1494/0.html. Accessed June 8, 2009.
- Venneman NG, et al. Gallstone disease: Primary and secondary prevention. Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology. 2006;20:1063.
