What it means
Stones form when bile holds too much cholesterol or bilirubin. They range from grains of sand to the size of a golf ball. Many cause no trouble; others block the flow of bilebileA yellow-green fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that helps digest fats.chol/e bileFull entry and cause pain in the upper right abdomen, often after a fatty meal, or inflammation of the gallbladder or pancreas. Having gallstones is called cholelithiasiskoh-lee-lih-THY-uh-sisStones in the gallbladder.chol/e bilelith/o stone-iasis conditionFull entry .
For the nurse
Teach a low-fat diet if ordered, and to report pain that lasts more than a few hours, fever, or yellowing of the skin or eyes.
At a glance
| Spanish | cálculo biliar |
|---|---|
| Also written | gallstones |
Related terms
gallbladder
A small pear-shaped sac under the liver that stores bile and releases it to help digest fat.
bile
A yellow-green fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that helps digest fats.
cholelithiasis
Stones in the gallbladder.
lith/o
A word root that means stone.