How Choledocholithiasis Is Treated

The gallbladder is a hollow, sac-like organ that sits just beneath the liver. Its primary function is to store and release bile produced by the liver. When food enters the small intestines, the gallbladder squirts bile through a series of tubes known as ducts into the small intestines, where it helps the digestion of fats. Sometimes, the gallbladder can form gallstones, which refer to solid deposits of cholesterol and other substances in bile. These solid deposits may develop when there is an imbalance in the chemicals that make bile. The gallstones can get stuck inside the gallbladder or in one of the ducts leading to the bowel.