gallstone

For instance, doctors may think a blockage in the ducts of a patient’s gallbladder is caused by a gallstone, but when they perform surgery to remove it, they find cancer, said Dr. Syma Iqbal, gastrointestinal oncologist at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

By morning, the man was feeling better — the jammed gallstone must have gotten loose and moved on.

In this patient’s case, the stuck gallstone blocked the flow of bilirubin into the gastrointestinal tract.

Her recent gallstone surgery cost nearly $1,500, but less than a third of it could be expensed under her insurance plan, she said.

The TV presenter eventually asked for the gallstone back, Vistica said, and they gave it to her.