THE BILIARY TRACT AND GALLBLADDER

What is the biliary tract and what does it have to do with my gallbladder?

The gallbladder is part of a larger system that doctors call the biliary tract. The biliary tract is the tubing which connects the liver and gallbladder. This set of of tubes which allows 2-8 cups of bile, a liquid produced by the liver, to travel to the gastrointestinal tract and allow for digestion of food.

Why is bile important?

Bile is essential for helping with the digestion of fat in our diet.

Where is bile made?

Bile is made in liver and travels down a series of tubes where it is stored inside the gallbladder which is a small sac attached to the side of one of the tubes.

What does the gallbladder do?

The gallbladder stores the bile. When it is working normally the gallbladder will empty in response to food entering the stomach but it can empty at other times as well.

What happens when my gallbladder doesn’t work well?

• Gallstones
• Infection
• Cancer
• Rare congenital (present at birth) conditions