gallbladder

Thân thiện

The doctor points to the gallbladder on a medical diagram.

Definition

Noun: A small, pear-shaped, muscular sac located beneath the liver. Its primary function is to store and concentrate bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver, and release it into the small intestine to aid in the digestion of fats.

Examples

• The gallbladder contracts to release bile when you eat a fatty meal.
• A common health issue is the formation of stones in the gallbladder.
• The surgeon removed her inflamed gallbladder.
• Bile is stored in the gallbladder between meals.

Advanced Usage

• "Gallbladder attack": A term for the sudden, severe pain caused by a gallstone blocking one of the bile ducts.
  • Eating fried food can sometimes trigger a gallbladder attack.
• In medical terminology, the adjective "cholecystic" pertains to the gallbladder (e.g., cholecystitis: inflammation of the gallbladder).

Variants and Related Words

• Gall (noun): An older, less common term for bile; also can mean bitterness or impudence.
• Bile (noun): The bitter, greenish-brown digestive fluid stored in the gallbladder.
• Cholecystectomy (noun): The surgical procedure for removing the gallbladder.

Synonyms

• Biliary bladder (medical/technical term)
• Cholecyst (medical/technical term)

Related Phrases

• Gallbladder disease: A broad term for conditions affecting the gallbladder, such as gallstones, inflammation (cholecystitis), or cancer.
• Gallbladder flush/detox: A controversial alternative health practice claimed to eliminate gallstones. (Note: This is not a medically recognized treatment.)

Học thuật

Noun

1. a muscular sac attached to the liver that stores bile (secreted by the liver) until it is needed for digestion

Từ đồng nghĩa

• gall bladder