duct? Answer: 3% of the total population where 20% may develop gallstones during lifetime. What about USA? Population of USA: 300 million. How many people may experience obstruction of the common bile duct during their life? 3% = 9 million people in USA will experience obstruction of the common bile duct with gallstone(s), gallstone(s) that most likely was/were formed inside gallbladder, and then expelled, only to be stuck into the common bile duct. 9 million reasons why doctrors claiming gallstones can not exit gallbladder are wrong! How many gallstones have that specific size and/or shape that would allow it to exit gallbladder, but would not allow it to pass through common bile duct or through the "sphincter of oddi"? Nobody knows the answer to this question. But, we could estimate that less then 10% of all stones would qualify. In other words, 90% of gallstones (or gallbladder sand and sludge ) that exits gallbladder does not stuck in the common bile duct, and will never be registered. What does that mean? Majority of people with gallstones have expelled some of their stones at one time or another, without ever knowing it happened. Stones pass from bile ducts into intestines ... no pain ... no obstruction ... no symptoms ... no awareness .... nobody knows it happened. But it happens every day. That is what nature intended for gallstones. Population of USA: 300 million. Number of people who will develop gallstones: 20% = 60 million. If 90% of them expel some