• Gallstones and Gallbladder Disease - Introduction
• Highlights
• Symptoms
• Prognosis and Complications
• Risk Factors
• Prevention
• Diagnosis

Introduction

Gallstones are small, hard deposits that can form in the gallbladder, a sac-like organ that lies under the liver in the upper right side of the abdomen. Most people with gallstones don't even know they have them. But in some cases a stone may cause the gallbladder to become inflamed, resulting in pain, infection, or other serious complications.

Bile and the Gallbladder

The formation of gallstones is a complex process that starts with bile, a fluid composed mostly of water, bile salts,...