GALLSTONES
What is a gallstone and how do they form?
Gallstones form just like snowballs…
- The gallstone begins with a small piece of debris
- Lots of extra cholesterol in the gallbladder is added to the small piece of debris
- Not moving. When the gallbladder doesn’t move or contract it allows cholesterol to add onto the gallstone letting it grow!
Why do gallstones cause problems?
The biliary tree is a series of tubes that drain bile from your liver to your gallbladder and intestines.
Gallstones are just like rocks or gravel that can block up these tubes and cause different problems depending on where they get stuck!