Gall Stones
A gall stone, medically referred to as a Cholelith is a crystalline pebble-like body that is formed by accumulated deposits of bile components. The Gall Bladder can develop many small stones or a single large one. The size of the stones varies greatly and can be as tiny as a grain of sand or even as large as a golf ball.
Types: There are two types of Gall Stones based on their composition.
1. Cholesterol Stones are made up of cholesterol deposits and are generally green in color. They can also be white or yellow and are the most common type of Gall Stones.
2. Pigment stones are made up of bilirubin and calcium salts present in the bile. They are dark stones that are comparatively smaller than Cholesterol Stones. They generally occur in people with biliary tract infections, cirrhosis, hemolytic anemia or sickle cell anemia.
In many cases, Gall Stones are comprised of both Cholesterol as well as Calcium salts. The calcium content in a Gall stone allows it to be visualized radiographically. Gall stones can occur in the Gall bladder or in the common bile duct. In cases where the common bile duct is obstructed, a patient may develop jaundice. If a stone is lodged in the outlet of the pancreatic exocrine system, a person may develop Pancreatitis.
Risk Factors: There are several known factors that contribute to the formation of Gall stones. Some of them are listed below.
1. Weight – Clinical studies have shown that obesity greatly increases the risk for developing Gall stones. In addition to this, it was also observed that even people who were moderately overweight had an increased risk.
2. Sex – Women are twice as likely to develop Gall stones as compared to men. Birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy and Excess estrogen from pregnancy all appear to increase bile cholesterol levels. Obese women were seen to have the highest risk of Gall stones.
3. Family history – As this problem often runs in families, there is a probable but unproven genetic link.
In addition there are also several other risk factors like age, ethnicity, cholesterol-lowering drugs and diabetes. An individual’s diet, especially one that is high in unhealthy fats is a major risk factor for the development of Gall stones.
Treatment: There are three main types of treatment for Gall stones.
1. Dissolution: Cholesterol gallstones can be dissolved with oral medication alone. This may require a patient to take the medication for anywhere up to two years.
2. Lithotripsy: (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy) employs concentrated ultrasonic shock waves to shatter the Gall stones.
3. Cholecystectomy: This is a surgical procedure to remove the Gall Bladder. It is used in cases where other treatments are not viable.
