Health

Drink coffee, avoid gallstones?

(HealthDay)—To the many ways in which coffee seems to confer unexpected health benefits, add a lowered risk of painful gallstones.

Immunology

Immune cells drive gallstone formation

Sticky meshworks of DNA and proteins extruded by white blood cells called neutrophils act as the glue that binds together calcium and cholesterol crystals during gallstone formation, researchers in Germany report August 15 ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Could you have silent gallstones?

(HealthDay)—As many as 20 million Americans have gallstones. Most don't have any symptoms, but not all will escape a gallstone attack.

Surgery

Surgeon case experience impacts peds cholecystectomy morbidity

(HealthDay)—High-volume general surgeons have lower morbidity rates than low-volume pediatric surgeons for laparoscopic cholecystectomy in pediatric patients, independent of pediatric volume, according to a study published ...

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Gallstone

A gallstone is a crystalline concretion formed within the gallbladder by accretion of bile components. These calculi are formed in the gallbladder, but may pass distally into other parts of the biliary tract such as the cystic duct, common bile duct, pancreatic duct, or the ampulla of Vater.

Presence of gallstones in the gallbladder may lead to acute cholecystitis, an inflammatory condition characterized by retention of bile in the gallbladder and often secondary infection by intestinal microorganisms, predominantly Escherichia coli and Bacteroides species. Presence of gallstones in other parts of the biliary tract can cause obstruction of the bile ducts, which can lead to serious conditions such as ascending cholangitis or pancreatitis. Either of these two conditions can be life-threatening, and are therefore considered to be medical emergencies.

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