Objective: To identify the chemical composition of gallstones in Songklanagarind Hospital by infrared spectrophotometry and determine the relation of body mass index with composition of gallstones.
Material and Methods: Gallstones were obtained from cholecystectomy patients in Songklanagarind Hospital and examined with spectrophotometry KBr disk method. Medical records of these patients were reviewed to find the relationship of patient characteristics and gallstone compositions.
Results: Sixty women and forty men age between 25 to 92 years were included in this study. Mean BMI was 23.9 kg/m2.With regard to their major chemical compositions calcium bilirubinate, cholesterol, calciumcarbonate and calciumphosphate stones were found in 55, 28, 15 and 2 percents respectively. Among women with BMI > 25 kg/m2, 55.6% were found to have cholesterol stone.
Conclusion: Common types of gallstones in Songklanagarind Hospital are pigmented stones but obese women tend to have cholesterol stones.