Gallbladder disease in this country is largely related to gallstones. In western societies, stones are highly prevalent and are composed predominantly of cholesterol. In the United States, gallstones are present in ∼20% of adults and are a leading cause of hospitalization among patients with digestive diseases; >600,000 cholecystectomies are performed per year for gallstones. The cost of treating gallstone-related disease is estimated at >$5 billion per year.

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