Abstract
Gallstones, particularly cholesterol gallstones, are common in Western populations and may cause symptoms such as biliary colic or complications such as acute cholecystitis or gallstone pancreatitis. Recent studies have allowed for a better understanding of the risk of symptoms or complications in patients with gallstones. In addition, newer data suggest an association of gallstones with overall mortality, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal cancers, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Knowledge of appropriate indications and timing of cholecystectomy, particularly for mild biliary pancreatitis, has gradually accumulated. Lastly, there are exciting possibilities for novel agents to treat or prevent cholesterol stone disease. This review covers new advances in our understanding of the natural history, clinical associations, and management of gallstone disease.
Highlights
Gallstones are crystallized deposits containing cholesterol and/or bilirubin that form most commonly in the gallbladder and have been found in autopsy studies from Egyptian and Chinese mummies
Gallstone disease is defined as the presence of gallstones accompanied by symptoms attributable to their presence or complications such as acute cholecystitis, acute cholangitis, and gallstone pancreatitis
Cholecystectomy is the gold standard for the treatment of gallstone disease, and over 700,000 cholecystectomies are performed annually in the United States
Summary
F1000 Faculty Reviews are written by members of the prestigious F1000 Faculty. They are commissioned and are peer reviewed before publication to ensure that the final, published version is comprehensive and accessible. The reviewers who approved the final version are listed with their names and affiliations. Any comments on the article can be found at the end of the article
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