The gall bladder is a small sac, attached to the under surface of the liver, that holds bile. Bile is a
digestive juice, produced by the liver, which is used to help break down dietary fats. The gall bladder
extracts water from its store of bile until the liquid becomes highly concentrated. In case of eating
fatty foods, it triggers the gall bladder to squeeze its bile concentrate into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.
Problems associated with gallstones

Bile is squeezed from the gall bladder into the first part of the small intestine by slender ducts. If smaller gallstones partially or completely block these narrow ducts, pain and serious complications can occur. Some of these complications include:

General abdominal discomfort, bloating
Nausea and vomiting.
Inflammation of the gall bladder (cholecystitis).The modern therapy is urgent cholecystectomy
(within 72 hours), or conservative treatment with antibiotics may also be considered.
Jaundice, since bile enters the bloodstream instead of the digestive system due to increased biliary pressure
Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) that is a potentially life threatening condition
Severe infections of the liver. (Cholangitis)
Cancer of the gall bladder. It occurs rarely and usually in case of carrying a gall stone for a longer period of time. Silent stones!

Things to remember:
The gall bladder is a small sac that holds bile, a digestive juice produced by the liver, which
is used to break down dietary fats.
Gallstones are a common disorder of the digestive system which affect around 15 per cent
of people aged 50 years and over.
Cholecystectomy, or surgical removal of the gall bladder, is recommended if gallstones (or
other types of gall bladder disease) are causing problems.
Surgical techniques include laparoscopic (‘keyhole’) cholecystectomy or open surgery.

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