Gallbladder of an Obese Black Male

Description

Framed within the right upper quadrant of an obese Black adult male torso, the gallbladder (vesica fellea) sits on the visceral surface of the liver, its fundus projecting anteroinferiorly toward the anterior abdominal wall and its body tapering posteromedially into the neck. A vivid green biliary tree traces the cystic duct as it joins the common hepatic duct to form the common bile duct, running inferiorly toward the first part of the duodenum. Hepatic parenchyma overlies the biliary reservoir superiorly, while the gallbladder bed lies directly apposed to the liver. Surface anatomy matters here. Gallbladder orientation and ductal confluence are central to safe cholecystectomy, where misidentification of the cystic duct and common bile duct remains a leading cause of iatrogenic bile duct injury. Obesity can obscure operative landmarks and shift the working angles in laparoscopy, so a clear depiction of the fundus to neck axis and extrahepatic biliary anatomy supports teaching of the critical view of safety and the rationale for fundus-first dissection when Calot’s triangle is hostile. This view also suits discussion of cholelithiasis and acute cholecystitis, including gallstone migration into the common bile duct with obstructive jaundice or gallstone pancreatitis. Use this illustration in gross anatomy and gastrointestinal modules to anchor spatial relationships between the liver, gallbladder, and extrahepatic bile ducts, and in surgical education materials covering laparoscopic port placement, ductal identification, and common complication patterns. It also reads well in patient-facing bariatric and hepatobiliary counseling brochures where body habitus influences symptom localization and procedural planning. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.