PATIENT EDUCATION: 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.