Also called: Also called: Cholelithiasis
Your gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ under your liver. It stores bile, a fluid made by your liver to digest fat. As your stomach and intestines digest food, your gallbladder releases bile through a tube called the common bile duct. The duct connects your gallbladder and liver to your small intestine.
Your gallbladder is most likely to give you trouble if something blocks the flow of bile through the bile ducts. That is usually a gallstone. Gallstones form when substances in bile harden. Gallstone attacks usually happen after you eat. Signs of a gallstone attack may include nausea, vomiting, or pain in the abdomen, back, or just under the right arm.
Gallstones are most common among older adults, women, overweight people, Native Americans and Mexican Americans. The most common treatment is removal of the gallbladder. Fortunately, the gallbladder is an organ that you can live without. Bile has other ways to reach your small intestine.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
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Gallstones
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gallstones/
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Gallstones: What Are They and How Are They Treated?(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/digestive/disorders/555.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/digestive/disorders/555.printerview.html
- Gallstones(American Gastroenterological Association) - http://www.gastro.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=688
- Gallstones(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/gallstones/DS00165/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography)(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ercp/
- HIDA Scan (Cholescintigraphy): Why Is It Performed?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/hida-scan/AN00424/METHOD=print
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Ultrasound - Abdomen(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=abdominus
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=abdominus
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Understanding EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasonography)(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) - http://www.asge.org/PatientInfoIndex.aspx?id=380
Also available in Spanish http://www.asge.org/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=3036
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Cholecystectomy - Open and Laparoscopic
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/cholecystectomyopenandlaparoscopic/htm/index.htm
- Cholecystectomy: Surgical Removal of the Gallbladder(American College of Surgeons) - Links to PDF - http://www.facs.org/public_info/operation/brochures/cholecystectomy.pdf
- Therapeutic ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography)(American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) - http://www.asge.org/PatientInfoIndex.aspx?id=398
- Gallbladder Cleanse: A "Natural" Remedy for Gallstones?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/gallbladder-cleanse/AN01283/METHOD=print
- Biliary Colic(InteliHealth, Harvard Medical School) - http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9339/10048.html
- Chronic Diarrhea: A Concern After Gallbladder Removal?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/gallbladder-removal/AN00067/METHOD=print
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Dieting and Gallstones(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/gallstones.htm
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JAMA Patient Page: Acute Cholecystitis(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/289/1/124.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/289/1/124/DC1/1
- Cholecystectomy - Open and Laparoscopic(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/cholecystectomyopenandlaparoscopic/htm/index.htm
- Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - one hour program - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM-Flash/bse_1884/rnh.cfm?id=609
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Cholelithiasis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Cholelithiasis%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Gallstones: healthy choices help sidestep surgery. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18792449&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Retrospective survey on laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the cirrhotic patient. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18727458&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Laparoendoscopic "rendezvous" versus laparoscopic antegrade sphincterotomy for choledocholithiasis. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18707043&tool=MedlinePlus
- Gallstones -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=cholelithiasis[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- American Gastroenterological Association - http://www.gastro.org/
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National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- Gallstones (Cholelithiasis)(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site2175/mainpageS2175P0.html
- Gallstones(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/minority/americanindian/gallstones.cfm
- Gallstones in Women(American College of Gastroenterology) - http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/women/gallstones.asp
- Gallbladder Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/gallbladderdiseases.html
- Digestive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/digestivesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Gallstones is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/