Niemann Pick Type C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1) protein plays a key role in intestinal and hepatic cholesterol metabolism in humans. Genetic variation in NPC1L1 has been widely studied in recent years. We analyzed NPC1L1 single nucleotide polymorphisms in Chinese gallstone disease patients to investigate their association with gallstone disease. NPC1L1 mRNA expression was also measured in liver biopsies f...

Background: Autopsies of Egyptian and Chinese mummies have demonstrated the existence of gallstones for at least 3,500 years. Today, gallstones occur commonly, especially in the West and in westernized societies. Gallstone complications include biliary colic, acute cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, cholangitis, gallstone pancreatitis, and gallstone ileus. Gallstone disease exacts a considerab...

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is preferred in the treatment of symptomatic cholecystolithiasis. Gallstone spillage is not uncommon, and there have been reports of associated complications. We report a case of a free intraperitoneal gallstone, left inadvertently during LC, which developed an inflammatory phlegmon with abscess containing gallstone, causing extraluminal compression on the dist...

Bouveret's syndrome is a rare cause of proximal gallstone ileus with obstruction of duodenum or gastric outlet. We report a case of an 87-year-old female patient presented with 1 week history of vomiting whose plain radiograms showed ileus and pneumobilia. The abdominal computed tomography confirmed pneumobilia and revealed free air and leakage of oral contrast agent in the hepatic hilum and su...

Gallstone ileus, a mechanical intestinal obstruction caused by the passage of a gallstone into the intestinal lumen through a fistula, although not common, deserves to more carefully studied due to its morbidity and mortality. Its incidence among older-age groups explains its association with chronic and degenerative diseases, which increase the complexity of the treatment choice. The need and ...

BACKGROUND Cholelithiasis is a multifactorial process and several mechanisms of gallstone formation have been postulated. As one of these mechanisms, a decreased expression of the ileal apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter gene SLC10A2 in gallstone carriers was described previously. In this study the SLC10A2 gene was investigated to identify novel genetic variants and their association...

Gallstone ileus is an uncommon complication of cholelithiasis, with a high morbidity and mortality rate, usually related to the delayed diagnosis of intestinal obstruction. Diagnosing gallstone ileus needs a high index of suspicion. A case of a gallstone ileus is reported. The clinical presentation, radiological features, intra-operative findings, operative procedure and literature review are p...

Mechanical small bowel obstructions caused by gallstones account for 1% to 3% of cases. In these patients, 80% to 90% of residual gallstones in these patients will pass through a remaining fistula without consequence. Recurrent gallstone ileus has been reported in 5% of patients. We report the case of a woman, aged 72 years, who presented with mechanical small bowel obstruction caused by gallst...

We examined changes in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism produced by dietary cholesterol in gallstone subjects and matched controls. Healthy women were recruited and, after confirming the presence or absence of radiolucent gallstones, they were studied on regular diets and again on the same diet supplemented with five eggs daily for 15-18 d. Studies included plasma lipids, lipoproteins and a...

OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and possible risk factors of gallstone disease in the general population. PATIENTS & METHODS This cross sectional study was carried out on a total of 1522 males and females aged ≥30 years in Zahedan district, South-East of Iran. Data were collected by a validated questionnaire and gallstone diagnosis was assessed by an experienced r...