Predicting the Chemical Composition of Gallstones by FTIR Spectroscopy
Kafia M. Shareef¹, Lazeza A. Omer² and Sirwan A. Garota³

¹College of Nursing, Hawler Medical University, Kurdistan (Iraq)

²Department of Biochemistry, College of Pharmacology, Hawler Medical University, Kurdistan (Iraq)

³Department of Surgery, College of medicine, Hawler Medical University, Kurdistan (Iraq)

Abstract: Gallstones represent a prevalent and costly health problem. Chemical composition of gallstone is essential for aetiopathogenesis of gallstone diseases. This study aimed to define patterns of gallstone composition in 162 samples surgically removed from as many patients 144 females and 18 males, age range 15 to 75 years, admitted for treatment in Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Kurdistan, Iraq, during 2007-2008. All stones were analyzed by Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy for cholesterol, bilirubin and calcium carbonate. Of the 162 samples of gallstones analyzed, 108 (66.7%) were identified as pure cholesterol stones, 52 (32.1%) were mixture of cholesterol + bilirubin and only 2 (1.2 %) were identified as calcium bilirubinate. Gender wise comparisons revealed that majority of gallstones were recovered from the female patients. We also concluded that, incidence of gallstone was higher in age group ³ 45 years.

Keywords: Gallstone; FTIR; chemical composition; mixed gallstone; cholesterol; bilirubin; calcium carbonate

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