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gallstone
(gawl´stōn)
a stonelike mass (calculus) in the gallbladder; the presence of gallstones is called cholelithiasis. The cause is unknown, although there is evidence of a connection with obesity; an excess of cholesterol in the bile appears to be important. Gallstones may be present for years without causing trouble; when present, symptoms
consist of vague discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen, and sometimes indigestion and nausea, especially after eating fatty
foods. The most common complication is when a gallstone escapes from the gallbladder and travels along the common bile duct,
where it may block the flow of bile to the intestine and cause obstructive jaundice.
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