$Unique_ID{BRK00179}
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$Title{What are Gall Stones Made of?}
$Subject{gallstone cause type Digestive System Gall Stones stone bladders bile
cholesterol pigment bilirubin gallstones bladder}
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Multiple Stones in Gall Bladder*0003601.scf
Single, Large Stone in Gall Bladder*0003602.scf
Multiple Stones in Common and Hepatic Ducts*0003603.scf
Single Stones in Cystic and Common Ducts*0003604.scf}

Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What are Gall Stones Made of?


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QUESTION:  Though they are causing me no pain, my physician has discovered
that I have gall stones.  What are they made of and how did I get them?

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ANSWER:  You are not alone with your stones, for an estimated 25 million
Americans have them, and that's about 10 percent of the population.  In
addition you are one of the lucky ones who have "silent" stones, not one of
the 500,000 patients who will have their gall bladders removed to treat their
painful condition and to prevent serious or even life threatening
complications of this disease.
     Gallstones form when chemicals that are usually dissolved in the bile
precipitate out, forming crystals that cling together to form stones.  There
are two main types, stones formed from cholesterol, in about 80% of the
cases, and pigment gallstones formed from bilirubin and other compounds.  The
typical sufferer is a woman who has been pregnant, who is overweight and
consumes a lot of dairy products and animal fats, and is past 50.  However,
20% of persons in the U.S.A. of both sexes over the age of 65 have
gallstones.  Heredity plays a part as well as there is frequently a family
history of the disease.  If this description comes close to fitting you, you
now have an indication on where your collection of unwanted stones came from.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.