Gall Stones

Digestive System

Stones of varying composition sometimes form in the gallbladder, the reservoir where bile collects. Bile is rich in fatty substances, especially cholesterol that has been extracted from the blood by the liver. Bile also contains bilirubin, a substance formed by the break-down of haemoglobin from old red blood cells. Sometimes if the balance of these substances is upset, a tiny solid particle may grow, as more material solidifies around it. Gallstones are crystallized fatty particles, particularly cholesterol. The size of a gallstone can be as small as a seed to as large as a lemon.