What causes gallstones to develop?
Gallstones develop in the gallbladder, a small pear-shaped organ located beneath the liver on the right side of the abdomen. The gallbladder is about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide at its thickest part. It stores and releases bile into the intestine to help digestion. Bile is a liquid made by the liver. It contains water, cholesterol, bile salts, fats, proteins, and bilirubin (a bile pigment). During digestion, the gallbladder contracts to release bile into the intestine, where the bile salts help to break down fat. Bile also dissolves excess cholesterol. According to researchers, cholesterol gallstones may form in several ways, such as: • When bile contains more cholesterol than it can dissolve. • When there is too much bilirubin or other substance in the bile that causes cholesterol to form hard crystals. • When there are not enough bile salts to break down fat. • When the gallbladder does not contract and empty its bile regularly.
