From the Research
There are two main types of gallstones: cholesterol stones and pigment stones, with bile stones being a general term that refers to any stones formed in the biliary system, including both cholesterol and pigment stones, while struvite stones are not typically found in the gallbladder. The most recent and highest quality study on gallstones, published in 2016 1, classifies gallstones into cholesterol gallstones and bilirubin ('pigment') stones, with black pigment stones caused by chronic haemolysis and brown pigment stones typically developing in obstructed and infected bile ducts. Some key points about gallstones include:
- Cholesterol stones are the most common type, making up about 80% of gallstones, and form when there's too much cholesterol in the bile.
- Pigment stones are less common and are made of bilirubin, more likely to occur in people with certain medical conditions like cirrhosis or blood disorders.
- Bile stones is a general term that refers to any stones formed in the biliary system, including both cholesterol and pigment stones.
- Struvite stones are actually a type of kidney stone, not gallstone, composed of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate, and are associated with certain types of urinary tract infections. Understanding the type of stone is important for treatment, with cholesterol stones potentially responding to medications that dissolve them, while pigment stones typically require surgical removal, and the most common treatment for symptomatic gallstones of any type being cholecystectomy (surgical removal of the gallbladder) 2. Other studies, such as those published in 1992 3, 4 and 1993 5, provide additional information on the pathogenesis and formation of gallstones, but the most recent and highest quality study 1 provides the most relevant and up-to-date information on the classification and treatment of gallstones.