sappiteitä

Sappiteitä, in Finnish medical terminology, refers to the bile ducts, a network of channels that transport bile from the liver and gallbladder to the duodenum. In anatomy, the term encompasses both intrahepatic ducts within the liver and the extrahepatic ducts outside the liver.

Within the liver, small ducts collect bile from hepatocytes and coalesce into right and left hepatic ducts. These join to form the common hepatic duct, which is joined by the cystic duct from the gallbladder to form the common bile duct.

Bile carries digestive substances, including bile acids, cholesterol, and bilirubin; flow is regulated by the sphincter of Oddi and hormonal signals such as cholecystokinin. During digestion, bile is released into the duodenum to aid fat emulsification and digestion.

Obstruction of sappiteitä by stones (choledocholithiasis) or inflammation (cholangitis) can cause jaundice, abdominal pain, and elevated bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase. Imaging typically starts with ultrasound; MRCP provides noninvasive visualization, and ERCP can be used for both diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.

Embryology: the biliary tree originates from the hepatic diverticulum; anomalies such as duplicated ducts or aberrant pancreatobiliary junctions can occur. Clinically, variations in anatomy and patency of the sappiteitä have implications for liver surgery, gallbladder disease management, and endoscopic procedures.