Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Laparoscopic Anatomical Resection of the Right Anterior Lobe Based on the Laennec Capsule Technique
Published on: May 2, 2025
Aberrant gallbladder situated beneath the left lobe of liver
A Dhulkotia1, S Kumar, V Kabra
1Department of Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
Background:
Aberrant gallbladder beneath the left liver is a rare congenital anomaly that is found in 0.1-0.7 per cent of the population and causes confusion on imaging and at operation.Two such cases are presented.
Case Outlines:
A man of 83 yr was explored for obstructive jaundice due to a hilar tumour, but the gallbladder was 'missing'. Exploration of a cystic mass to the left of the falciform ligament revealed a gallbladder attached to segment III of the liver. Laparotomy for gallstones in a woman of 70 yr failed to reveal the gallbladder until further dissection was carried out to the left of the falciform ligament. In each of these cases the cystic duct described a hairpin bend before joining the common hepatic duct on its right-hand side.
Conclusion:
A left-sided gallbladder can be truly ectopic or may just appear so because the falciform ligament is aberrantly placed to the right. In either case preoperative imaging can be misleading, and a careful search is needed at operation. The incidence of disease seems no commoner than in orthotopic gallbladders.
Related Concept Videos
Gross Anatomy of the Liver
Located under the diaphragm, the liver is almost entirely ensconced within the rib cage, providing it with substantial protection. Except for the superior most bare area, the liver's surface is covered...
Gallbladder
The gallbladder's anatomy consists of three regions: the fundus, body, and neck. Extending from the neck, the cystic duct joins the common...
Diseases of the Liver and Gallbladder
Cirrhosis is characterized by the scarring of hepatic lobules in the liver, which are replaced by fibrous tissue, affecting the liver's normal functioning. NAFLD, on the other hand, is caused by an excessive build-up of fat in the liver, not related to...
Cholecystitis
Abdominal Regions and Quadrants
The simpler quadrants approach, which is more commonly used in medicine, subdivides the cavity with one horizontal and one vertical line that intersects at the patient's umbilicus (navel). The four quadrants...
Major Organs of the Digestive System
Gastrointestinal tract:
