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- $Unique_ID{BRK00179}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{What are Gall Stones Made of?}
- $Subject{gallstone cause type Digestive System Gall Stones stone bladders bile
- cholesterol pigment bilirubin gallstones bladder}
- $Volume{I-9}
- $Log{
- 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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-
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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?
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- 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.
-
- ----------------
-
- 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.
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-