What Are Gallstones?
Gallstones (commonly misspelled gall stones or gall stone) are solid particles that form from bile cholesterol and bilirubin in the gallbladder.
The gallbladder is a small saclike organ in the upper right part of the abdomen. It is located under the liver, just below the front rib cage on the right side.
The gallbladder is part of the biliary system, which includes the liver and the pancreas.
The biliary system, among other functions, transports bile and digestive enzymes.
Bile is a fluid made by the liver to help in the digestion of fats.
It contains several different substances, including cholesterol and bilirubin, a waste product of normal breakdown of blood cells in the liver.
Bile is stored in the gallbladder until needed.
When we eat a high-fat, high-cholesterol meal, the gallbladder contracts and injects bile into the small intestine via a small tube called the common bile duct. The bile then assists in the digestive process.