The gallbladder is a small organ near the liver that stores and concentrates bile, which helps break down fat. The most common forms of gallbladder disease are:
- Inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis)
- Gallstones (cholelithiasis)
- Cholangitis, when stones escape from the gallbladder into the common bile duct
Other gallbladder problems include tissue growths, which can be benign polyps or cancerous tumors. Additionally, gallstones can cause pancreatitis when they impact the opening of the bile and pancreatic ducts into the intestine.