# Gallbladder --- The **gallbladder** is an organ that's technically a separate the [[liver]], but it's strongly associated with it. If there is every any extra bile made by the liver, it goes up and is stored in the gallbladder. When the food moves into the intestines the gallbladder releases it into the [[duodenum]]. Unfortunately this can produce **gallstones** in the right situation. Chole means "bile" and cyst means "bag". Cholecyst is the gall bladder. Lith means "stone" so cholelith means "bile stone" ![[liver.png]] The gallbladder drains bile through the **cystic duct** which merges with the **common bile duct**, where it enters the duodenum. The common bile duct is shared with the [[pancreas]], which is fine when it is working normally. But if there is a problem with the gallbladder that blocks the common bile duct, it can back up the duct of the pancreas, blocking up the digestive enzymes there causing potentially serious problems. ## Problem with the Gallbladder - [[cholelithiasis]] - [[cholecystitis]] ___