Microstructural and chemical characterization of gallbladder stones using different spectrometric techniques

Gallstones (gravel-like substances that develop inside the human gallbladder) are one of the most painful biliary tract diseases in adults and have a high incidence. Gallstones form when bile stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material. Bile is a bitter yellow or green liquid secreted by the liver hepatocytes of most vertebrates, which is then stored in the gallbladder and used in the digestion of fats. During contraction, the gallbladder pushes bile into the common bile duct, which carries it to the small intestine, where it performs the role of fat digestion. The composition of bile includes water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, proteins, and bilirubin. Bile can usually dissolve cholesterol, but if there is too much cholesterol, it turns into crystals that eventually turn into stones. In some cases, if the bilirubin level is too high, this can also lead to stone formation. Different gallstones have their own causes and formation mechanisms. The composition of gallstones is affected by factors such as age, diet, geographic region, obesity, weight loss, and ethnicity. It is difficult to define an ideal gallstone classification system; However, they can be generally grouped according to their main chemical composition. On this basis, they can be divided into three main types: (i) cholesterol stones, (ii) pigment stones and (iii) mixed stones. The aim of this study is to examine gallstones in detail, to determine the causative factors and to understand the formation process. 50 patients who apply for cholecystectomy surgery will be selected for the study. Liver function tests and complete blood count will be requested from all of these patients before surgery, which are routine preoperative tests and will not incur any additional cost. In addition, radiological images used to detect stone locations routinely before surgery will be requested from all patients. The stones removed from the surgeries will be analyzed according to their microstructural and compositional properties using Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectrometry (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD). The elemental concentration in the stones will be determined by XRF spectrometry connected to SEM, which allows rapid elemental mapping and surface scanning. In addition, the surface will be visualized with SEM and the crystal formation process will be tried to be detailed. It is a cohort study (prospective or retrospective) (incidence studies) and experimental research type study and the research will be carried out in Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Department of Surgical Medical Sciences, Department of Medical Pathology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Basic Sciences Application and Research Center. With this research to be carried out on gallstones, the factors that cause stone formation will be determined and measures to prevent stone formation can be suggested. Therefore, this study will be carried out to investigate the mineralogy, chemistry and microstructure of gallstones in the population of Erzincan and the surrounding province or district.