Bile is made in the liver and is stored in the gall bladder until it is need to help the digestion of fat. Gall bladder disease is a common condition which affects mainly women, although men can suffer too. The symptoms vary widely from discomfort to severe pain which mainly begins after food. In severe cases the patient can suffer from jaundice, nausea and fever. The most common reason for gall bladder disease is gall stones.
Gallstones are solid stones formed in the gallbladder from cholesterol, bile salts and calcium.
They can vary in size from a few millimetres to a few centimetres. Gallstones are formed when bile contains too much cholesterol. The excess cholesterol forms crystals from which gallstones are made. Gall stones are seen in all age groups but they are rare in the young. The possibility of developing gall stones increases with age.