What are the Gallbladder Parts? Here's What You Should Know

What is the gallbladder and what are the gallbladder parts? Can you live without this organ? Read on to find out.

What is the Gallbladder?

The gallbladder is a tiny pear-shaped organ that stores bile. It is part of the biliary system, along with the liver and bile ducts. The biliary system drains waste products from the liver and into the duodenum, or the first part of the small intestine. The biliary system also aids in digestion with a controlled release of bile.

Bile is a greenish-yellow fluid that is formed in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It aids in digestion by breaking down fats into fatty acids. These fatty acids are then distributed to the body by the digestive tract. Fatty acids also have an important function in storing energy. Bile also aids in the absorption of lipids.

Bile mostly consists of cholesterol, bile acids (also referred to as bile salts), and bilirubin. It also contains water, body salts (potassium and sodium), copper, and other metals.

The bile’s functions include:

• Carrying away waste from the body
• Breaking down fats during digestion

Bile is also responsible for giving feces its dark color, since bile exits the body in the form of feces.

What are the Gallbladder Parts?

There are three main parts of the organ: the fundus, body, and neck.

Fundus

This is the large and wide end where bile juices are stored.

Body

The fundus continues onto the body. The body narrows into the infundibulum and then connects to the neck and cystic duct.

Neck

This part connects to the cystic duct.

• Cystic duct. This is the connection between the gallbladder to the CDC (common hepatic duct). This is the pathway wherein the bile is drained to and from the biliary tree.
• Biliary tree. This is a system of vessels that direct secretions coming from the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. These pass through ducts and into the duodenum.

Can You Live Without Your Gallbladder?

It is actually quite common for gallbladders to be surgically removed. This may affect a person’s lifestyle, but there are otherwise are no major effects after a person undergoes surgery.

Since the gallbladder’s job is to help in digesting fatty foods, your body will now have a harder time processing and digesting fat. Following this, people who have had this organ removed must have a proper diet so as not to strain their digestive system.

Below is a list of what you must watch out for after undergoing this surgery:

• For the first few days of surgery, doctors advise patients to consume clear liquids, gelatin, and broth. Slowly add solid foods into your diet again after some time.
• Avoid high-fat foods, fried food, spicy food, foods that cause gas, and have strong odors. Do not consume large portions of food.
• You should limit the calories you take in from fat to 30% of what you eat every day.  Be very observant of food labels as well.
• Slowly introduce high-fiber foods into your diet.
• Keeping a food journal will greatly help you in keeping track of the food that you consume.

Key Takeaway

The gallbladder stores bile. What are gallbladder parts? These include the fundus, body, and neck.

Although this organ plays an important role in food digestion, people can live without it. However, people must be more cautious of their food choices following gallbladder removal.

Learn more about Gallbladder Disease here.