Gallstones – gallstones affect 10% of the population and are more common in women.
The most common are cholesterol stones, which can be promoted by older age, obesity, female sex, disorders of fat metabolism, diabetes, pregnancy, certain medications, rapid weight loss, certain genetic factors, or small intestine diseases.
Black pigment stones are rarer; they can form in chronic haemolysis (breakdown of red blood cells), in cirrhosis of the liver, or in pancreas inflammation. There are also brown pigment stones, which form as a result of a bacterial infection of the bile ducts.
