Sedimentation of Biliary ‘Sludge’ Effect on Composition of Gallbladder Bile from Patients with Cholesterol, Mixed, or Pigment Stones

Abstract

Sedimentation of biliary sludge may profoundly affect the composition of gallbladder bile, which has to be considered in studies of cholesterol saturation and nucleation. The cholesterol concentration difference between native and ultracentrifuged bile reflects the insoluble crystalline fraction of cholesterol and may be useful for quantitation of the mass of cholesterol crystals in gallstone-associated bile samples.