Is gallstone disease a “disease of well-being”?

Abstract

Gallstone disease (choledocholithiasis) is a pathological condition in which stones are formed in the gallbladder. It is caused by a change in the chemical composition of bile with an increase in the concentration of cholesterol in it, hypomotility of the gallbladder, and a number of metabolic disorders. This disease is widespread throughout the world: according to literary sources, about 10% of the population suffers from it. The lowest prevalence of cholelithiasis is noted in the countries of Africa and Asia, which is associated with dietary habits and the absence of high-calorie foods in the diet. In the structure of the overall morbidity, cholelithiasis ranks third after lesions of the cardiovascular system and diabetes mellitus, and exacerbations of cholelithiasis are one of the main reasons for hospitalization with acute surgical pathology. As a rule, women get sick 3-4 times more often than men. If the conservative treatment is ineffective, surgical intervention is necessary; at the present stage, minimally invasive methods with the use of laparoscopic techniques are becoming increasingly popular. To increase the effectiveness of the endoscopic method of treatment, various methods of contact biliary lithotripsy - laser, mechanical, electrohydraulic [2] - are often used.