Introduction to Gall Stone Disease
Cholelithiasis, commonly known as gallstone disease, is a very common condition that often causes a lot of pain due to the formation of solid particles or stones in the gall bladder and bile ducts. The sizes and compositions of these stones vary from tiny grains to larger solid masses.
More commonly, gallstones form when there is an imbalance in the composition of bile, a digestive fluid secreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
Excessive cholesterol, bilirubin or inadequate bile salts are some of the factors that cause this imbalance. Depending on where they are located within biliary system and their size, such stones can result into various symptoms including severe belly ache, nausea, vomiting and jaundice.
