www.balancedhealthtoday.com http www.balancedhealthtoday.com Introduction: Gallstones are small, hard deposits that can form in the gallbladder, a sac-like organ that lies under the liver on the right side of the abdomen. Most people with gallstones don't even know they have them. But in some cases a stone may cause the gallbladder to become inflamed, resulting in pain, infection, or other serious complications. Bile and the Gallbladder The formation of gallstones is a complex process that starts with bile, a fluid composed mostly of water, bile salts, lecithin (a fat known as a phospholipid), and cholesterol. Most gallstones are formed from cholesterol. * Bile is important for the digestion of fat. It is first produced by the liver and then secreted through tiny channels that eventually lead into a larger tube called the common bile duct, which leads to the small intestine. * Only a small amount of bile drains directly into the small intestine, however. Most flows into the gallbladder through the cystic duct, which is a side extension off the common bile duct. This system of ducts through which bile flows is called the biliary tree. * The gallbladder is a 4-inch sac with a muscular wall that is located under the liver. Here, most of the bile fluid (about 2 - 5 cups a day) is removed, leaving a few tablespoons of concentrated bile. * The gallbladder serves as a reservoir until bile is needed in the small intestine to digest fats. This need is signaled by a hormone called ...