Help building the largest human-edited directory of the web Suggest URL - Open Directory Project - Become an editor

directopedia.org uses links and structure from dmoz Open Directory Project.
The contents has been generating using technology developed by scientec.

The gallbladder (or cholecyst) is a pear-shaped organ that stores bile (or "gall") until the body needs it for digestion. It is connected to the liver and the duodenum by the biliary tract.

Contents 1 Anatomy 2 Microscopic anatomy 3 Function 4 Role in disease 4.1 Cholestasis 4.2 Cholelithiasis 4.3 Cholecystitis 4.4 Choledocholithiasis 4.5 Gallstone ileus 5 External links

Anatomy

Not all mammals have gallbladders. The rat and horse, for example, do not have a specialized organ for the storage of bile. The gallbladder is connected to the main bile duct through the gallbladder duct (cystic duct or, in Latin, ductus cysticus). The main biliary tract runs from the liver to the duodenum, and the cystic duct is effectively a "cul de sac", serving as entrance and exit to the gallbladder. The surface marking of the gallbladder is the intersection of the mid-clavicular line (MCL) and the transpyloric plane, at the tip of the ninth rib. The blood supply is by the cystic artery and vein, which run parallel to the cystic duct. The cystic artery is highly variable, and this is of clinical relevance since it must be clipped and cut during a cholecystectomy.

Microscopic anatomy

The gallbladder has an epithelial lining characterised by recesses (called Aschoff's recesses), which are pouches inside the lining. Under the epithelium there is a layer of connective tissue, followed by a muscular wall that contracts in response to cholecystokinin.

Function

The gallbladder stores bile, which is released when food containing fat enters the digestive tract, stimulating the secretion of cholecystokinin (CCK).

Role in disease

Cholestasis

Cholestasis is the blockage in the supply of bile into the digestive tract. It can be "intrahepatic" (the obstruction is in the liver) or "extrahepatic" (outside the liver). It can lead to jaundice, and is identified by the presence of elevated bilirubin level that is mainly conjugated.

Cholelithiasis

Up to 25% of all people have gallstones (cholelithiasis), composed of cholesterol, lecithin and bile acids. These can cause colicky shooting abdominal pain, usually in relation with the meal, as the gallbladder contracts and gallstones pass through the bile duct. Surgery (cholecystectomy, removal of the gallbladder) is the most common treatment for gallstones. It can be performed laparoscopically, and it is in fact one of the most common procedures done through the laparoscope.

People traditionally considered at an increased risk of cholelithiasis are people who are 5 F's:

• Female
• Fat (obesity)
• Fair (Caucasian, but this is disputed by recent studies)
• Forty (middle-aged)
• Fertile (the risk is increased in pregnancy)

Cholecystitis

Please refer to main article: Cholecystitis

Acute or chronic inflammation of the gall bladder causes abdominal pain. 90% of cases of acute cholecystitis are caused by the presence of gallstones.

Choledocholithiasis

Please refer to main article: Choledocholithiasis

When gallstones obstruct the common bile duct, the patient develops jaundice and liver cell damage. It is a medical emergency, requiring endoscopic or surgical treatment.

Gallstone ileus

A rare clinical entity is ileus (bowel obstruction) by a large gallstone, or gallstone ileus. This condition develops in patients with longstanding gallstone disease, in which the gallbladder forms a fistula with the digestive tract. Large stones pass into the bowel, and generally block the gut at the level of Treitz' ligament or the ileocecal valve, two narrow points in the digestive tract. Therapy is surgical.

External links

• Illustration
• Gallbladder Disease
• Acute cholecystitis

Digestive system

Mouth - Pharynx - Crop - Esophagus - Stomach - Pancreas - Gallbladder - Liver - Small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum) - Colon - Cecum - Rectum - Anus

This article is based on the article "Gallbladder" from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License. Here you find the list of authors of this article. The article can only edited within Wikipedia. Edit this article in Wikipedia.