The Gallbladder Anatomy and Biliary Tree

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All of us know what the gallbladder is, but how much do you know about the anatomy of a gallbladder? This organ looks like a small sack that stores the bile produced by your liver.

What is bile?

Bile (also called “gall”) is yellowish or dark green fluid that has a bitter taste. It is created in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. The main function of bile is to help digestion of fats in the intestines. This fluid is concentrated in the gallbladder, and after a meal, it will be released into the duodenum. The composition of bile is as follows: bile salts (nearly ten percent), water (nearly eighty-five percent), pigments and mucus (three percent), cholesterol (less than one percent), fats (one percent) and inorganic salts (less than one percent).

According to ancient medical theories, overall health of the human body depends on the harmony between the following vital fluids: phlegm, blood and two types of bile: black bile and yellow bile. If any of these two types of bile are excessively produced in the body, this can lead to depression or aggression. That is where the words “melancholia” and “cholera” come from.

Gallbladder Anatomy

Gallbladder is located beneath your liver, under the right side of the ribcage. The gallbladder of an adult person is nearly four centimeters in diameter and eight centimeters long. (These are the measurements of fully distended gallbladder). It can store approximately fifty ml of bile.

Gallbladder is composed of three parts:

● Neck
● Body
● Fundus.

The cystic duct connects the biliary tree to the gallbladder neck. The Hartmann’s pouch is located on the gallbladder neck. This is the part where most gallstones get stuck, creating a blockage. Gallbladder angle is located near the lateral margin and the costal margin of the muscle known as “rectus abdominis”.

The gallbladder is composed of several layers:

● The serosa – is the outer layer of the gallbladder.

● The perimuscular tissue – fibrous, connective tissue of the gallbladder

● The muscularis – smooth tissue. Its function is to help the contractions of the gallbladder; these contractions will release the bile into the ducts

● The lamina propria – very thin layer.

● The epithelium

How Does the Gallbladder Work?

Whenever you eat some foods that contain fats, the cholecystokinin secretion will be stimulated. Then, the gallbladder will release the bile right into your duodenum. The bile will emulsify the fats from foods and help the digestion process. While being stored in the gallbladder, bile is getting more concentrated, and this makes it more potent.

Gallstones

The most common gallbladder problems are usually caused by gallstones. These stones can vary in size and composition. These are the major types of gallstones:

● Cholesterol stones – yellowish or green, usually 3 centimeters long. They have dark spot in the central part. These stones contain large percentage of cholesterol (nearly 85 percent).

● Pigment stones – small, darkish stones that usually contain certain amounts of calcium salts, bilirubin and cholesterol.

● Mixed stones contain bilirubin, calcium carbonate, palmitate phosphate, and cholesterol. They can be easily seen if radiograph is used, since they have certain amount of calcium.

Not all gallstones lead to problems. In fact, some stones are very small and they are barely visible. These stones are known as “the silent stones” because they don’t show any symptoms. People live with silent stones for decades, without experiencing any problems. Only larger stones can create blockage and cause complications. Most gallbladder disorders are caused by such stones. The symptoms of gallstones usually occur after a meal and they include abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, belching, bloating, nausea, vomiting and jaundice.

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