What Is Choledocholithiasis?
2. Causes
As mentioned, choledocholithiasis is a condition where there are gallstones in the bile duct. There are two main types of gallstones that can be found. These are pigment gallstones, and cholesterol gallstones, and there are different potential underlying causes associated with each type.
Pigment stones, which are made mainly from bilirubin, are the rarest type of gallstone. These are associated with certain blood disorders, cirrhosis, and infections. As the name suggests, cholesterol stones are made mostly from cholesterol. These are far more common. Cholesterol stones are associated with high levels of cholesterol, low levels of bile salts, and high levels of bilirubin.
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