Gallstones

Gallstones are small, pebble-like formations, which are hardened deposits of digestive fluid in the gallbladder. There are two types of gallstones: cholesterol gallstones and pigment gallstones. Cholesterol stones are usually yellow-green and made of hardened cholesterol. Pigment stones are small dark stones made of bilirubin.

The causes of gallstones are not clear. However, it may be due to excessive amounts of cholesterol or bilirubin in the bile caused by the gallbladder not emptying completely or often enough.

• ​There may be no signs or symptoms
  
• Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the upper right portion of abdomen
  
• Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the centre of abdomen just below the breastbone
  
• Back pain between the shoulder blades
  
• Pain in the right shoulder
  
• Pain that lasts several minutes to a few hours
  
• Clay coloured stool

​Test and diagnosis

Treatment

• Associate Professor Alfred Kow Wei Chieh
• Professor Krishnakumar Madhavan
• Associate Professor Iyer Shridhar Ganpathi
• Associate Professor Glenn Kunnath Bonney
• Dr Pang Ning Qi
• Dr Gao Yujia
• Dr Nigel Tan Chun Han