Gallbladder

The gallbladder, or cholecyst, is a tiny, hollow organ found in vertebrates that stores and concentrates bile before releasing it into the small intestine. Although the form and location of the gallbladder can differ greatly between animal species, in humans the gallbladder is located underneath the liver.

Through the common hepatic duct, it absorbs and stores the bile generated by the liver and then distributes it into the duodenum, where it aids in the breakdown of lipids.

Gallstones, which are made of substances that cannot be dissolved and are typically cholesterol or bilirubin—a byproduct of the breakdown of hemoglobin—can harm the gallbladder.

These can be quite painful, especially in the upper-right region of the abdomen, and the gallbladder is frequently removed as a treatment (called a cholecystectomy).

There are several different reasons why the gallbladder becomes inflamed, or cholecystitis, including infection, inflammatory illness, and gallstone impaction.