What do gallstones look like

Eighty percent of gallstones are formed this way. Pigment stones are small, dark stones made of bilirubin and calcium salts that are found in bile. About twenty percent of gallstones are pigment stones. Risk factors for pigment stones include:. Gallstones can be as small as a grain of salt or as large as a golf ball. The gallbladder may develop many smaller stones, or a single, often large one. It may even develop several thousand stones. Gallstones that move out of the gallbladder can pass into your stomach.

However, a stone may become lodged in your bile duct due to the size of the stone or the anatomy of the biliary tree. Thus, bile duct stones are gallbladder stones that have become lodged in the bile duct. Stones that become stuck in the ducts that lead to the duodenum can be both agonizing and dangerous. Advancements have been made in better understanding the gallstone formation process.

Gallstones may be caused by:. When the bile contains too much cholesterol and not enough bile salts, cholesterol gallstones may develop. Aside from a high concentration of cholesterol, there are two other factors that seem to be of importance in causing gallstones. Movement of the gallbladder is referred to as gallbladder motility.

This small but muscular organ squeezes to force bile into the bile duct. If the gallbladder does not perform as it should, the bile may not be able to makes its way into the bile duct, instead becoming concentrated and forming small crystals.

Gallstones may also be created by proteins in the liver and bile. These proteins may either promote cholesterol crystallization into gallstones.

Gallstones affect approximately one million people every year, with women being twice as likely to become afflicted than men. They will join the estimated 20 million Americans —roughly 10 percent of the population— who already have gallstones. A person with gallstones may have what are called "silent stones".

Studies show that most people with silent stones may not experience any symptoms at all for awhile, remaining symptom-free for years and requiring no treatment. Silent stones may go undiagnosed until they begin to cause discomfort. A common complication cause by gallstones is blockage of the cystic duct.

Sometimes gallstones may make their way out of the gallbladder and into the cystic duct, the channel through which bile travels from the gallbladder to the small intestine. Learn more about dieting and gallstones.

Many people do not have symptoms of gallstones until they have complications. If left untreated, gallstones can be deadly. Treatment for gallstones usually involves gallstone surgery.

The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Do gallstones have another name? What is the biliary tract? How common are gallstones? Who is more likely to develop gallstones? What are the complications of gallstones? Some conditions, such as liver damage and certain blood disorders, cause your liver to produce more bilirubin than it should. These hard stones are often dark brown or black.

Your gallbladder needs to be able to empty its bile to function properly. If it fails to empty its bile content, the bile becomes overly concentrated, which can cause stones to form. Sometimes you can pass gallstones without even noticing. In rare cases, medication may be used. This means you may need to keep an eye on your condition for the majority of your life.

Cholecystectomy, which is surgery to remove the gallbladder, is one of the most common operations performed on adults in the United States. You may experience loose or watery stools after gallbladder removal.

Removing a gallbladder involves rerouting the bile from the liver to the small intestine. Bile no longer goes through the gallbladder and it becomes less concentrated. The immediate result is a laxative effect that can cause diarrhea, but this issue should resolve on its own for most people.

Some risk factors for gallstones are related to diet, while other factors are not as controllable. Uncontrollable risk factors are things like age, race, sex, and family history. Your doctor will perform a physical examination that includes checking your eyes and skin for visible changes in color. A yellowish tint may be a sign of jaundice, the result of too much bilirubin in your body.

The exam may involve using diagnostic tests that help your doctor see inside your body. These tests include:. Unsure whether your symptoms are gallstones or something else? Previous Next. View Larger Image. Do you have severe abdominal pain? You could have gallstones. Learn more about the signs and symptoms. What are gallstones and their symptoms?

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