LeberGallenblase

LeberGallenblase is a composite term used to describe the liver (Leber) and the gallbladder (Gallenblase), two closely connected organs of the hepatobiliary system.

The liver is located mainly in the right upper abdomen and weighs about 1.4 kg in adults. It performs metabolism, detoxification, protein synthesis, and bile production. Bile drains from hepatocytes through a network of canaliculi into the left and right hepatic ducts, which join to form the common hepatic duct.

The gallbladder sits on the liver’s inferior surface. It stores and concentrates bile between meals, releasing it into the small intestine in response to fatty meals via the cystic duct into the common bile duct and then into the duodenum, aided by the sphincter of Oddi.

The hepatobiliary tract includes the hepatic arteries, portal veins, hepatic ducts, and the common bile duct. Bile flows from the liver to the intestine and can be regulated by digestive needs.

Common diseases: liver disease such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; gallbladder disease including cholelithiasis (gallstones) and cholecystitis. Obstruction of the bile ducts can cause jaundice and cholestasis.

Diagnosis and treatment: evaluation typically uses liver function tests and imaging. Ultrasound is often first-line; MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) provides noninvasive visualization of bile ducts. Treatments depend on the condition and may involve medical therapy or procedures, such as cholecystectomy for gallstones.