As can be seen in the diagram the obstruction of the cystic duct causes the contraction of the gallbladder against a closed outlet which causes pain.

Most gallstones are made mainly of cholesterol. The other 20% are pigment stones from mainly calcium salts of unconjugated bilirubin. Not surprisingly people who break down red blood cells like sickle cell sufferers get pigment stones.

Estrogen causes more cholesterol to be secreted in the bile. Woman on Hormone Replacement therapy also have an increased risk of developing gallstones. More recently the 40 is being dropped and Familial put in its place as it has been shown to have a stronger association. Also the association with "Fair" is pretty iffy.

A positive ultrasound Murphys sign (that is you find the gallbladder and when you poke it with the probe it hurts) is an important ultrasound sign of an acutely inflamed gallbladder.

Well Pink and the Dalai Lama are still alive so that crosses them out. Marilyn Monroe died of a barbiturate overdose. Andy Warhol delayed his presentation to hospital because he was terrified of hospitals. He died within 24hrs of his operation.

A life threatening condition, emphysematous gallbladder occurs generally in diabetic or immunocompromised patients. You can see the air extends past the gallbladder wall, showing a perforation.

Ascending cholangitis needs aggressive resuscitation and removal of the stone from the common bile duct ASAP. You will see obstructive liver function tests.

In 1952, in Charing Cross Hospital, London the enormous gallstone was removed from an 80yr old lady. Obviously not laparoscopically.

The obstruction to the main pancreatic duct will cause acute pancreatitis. Gallstones and alcohol are the top 2 causes of pancreatitis in Australia.

Tough question. I had never heard of it. The syndrome is essentially where a gallstone in the gallbladder compresses the common bile duct. Often mistaken for a cholangiocarcinoma.