The gallbladder is a small hollow organ looks like a small pouch which is located just under the liver. It stores the bile released by the liver and concentrated before it releases through a common bile duct into the small intestine, where it helps in the digestion of fats. Before you eat, the gallbladder might be loaded with bile juice and is about the size of a small pear. After meals, the gallbladder becomes empty and flat, like a deflated balloon.
In response to signals after meals, the gallbladder sends stored bile juice into the small intestine through bile ducts. These contractions of the gallbladder walls is stimulated by the vagus nerve. The enzymes in bile break down the fats and help in the digestion. Removing the gallbladder in a healthy individual may not cause noticeable problems with health or in the digestion process. But in the absence of gallbladder may lead to diarrhoea and fat malabsorption.
The inner walls of the gallbladder is coated with mucous-membrane tissue which is similar to that one in the small intestine. Typically gallbladder stores 30-50ml of bile and it is divided into three main parts which include fundus, body and neck.
Gallbladder Conditions
Any condition that affects the functions of your gallbladder is considered a gallbladder disease. The following conditions are all gallbladder diseases.
- Inflammation of the gallbladder or cholecystitis
- Gallstones or cholelithiasis
- Gallbladder cancer
- Common bile duct stones or CBD Stones or choledocholithiasis
- Common bile duct infection or CBD Infection
- Dysfunctional gallbladder or chronic gallbladder disease
- Gallbladder abscess
- Gallstone ileus
- Perforated gallbladder
- Gallbladder polyps
- Porcelain(calcified) gallbladder
- Porcelain gallbladder
- Gallbladder rupture
Some gallbladder conditions are rare but can turn out to be a life-threating disease. However, there are effective treatment options to treat most of the gallbladder diseases. You can prevent gallbladder diseases from worsening if you take treatment in time. For more information contact our gastroenterology doctors.