Gallbladder

Description:

Situated under the liver, it is a sac used to store bile created by the liver cells. Bile is a yellow-green substance used in emulsifying fats to make it digestible in the body. It will squeeze bile through ducts.

Diseases and Conditions

Gallstones (Cholelithiasis)

Small deposits of cholesterol in the bile that can grow to a few centimeters in size, blocking channels that lead to pain and inflammation.

Gallbladder polyps

Abnormal tissue growth which, if it becomes too big, requires surgical removal or else it may become cancerous.

Porcelain gallbladder

Stiffening of the gallbladder walls due to calcium deposits, contributing to cancer.

Empyema

Development of pus in the gallbladder, also known as abscess. It leads to abdominal pain.