common bile duct
Meaning of common bile duct: The common bile duct is the tube through which bile travels from the liver and gallbladder into the small intestine.
Definition of common bile duct
The common bile duct is a tube that carries bile, a fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, from these organs into the duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine. It forms where the hepatic duct, draining bile made in the liver, joins the cystic duct, draining the gallbladder, and it runs alongside the pancreas before emptying into the duodenum.
Bile delivered through the common bile duct helps digest fats by breaking them into smaller droplets the digestive enzymes can act on more effectively. Because the duct passes directly through or alongside the head of the pancreas, disease in either organ can affect the flow of bile through it.
A stone, tumor, or area of scarring that narrows the common bile duct can block bile flow, causing it to back up into the liver and bloodstream and producing jaundice, the yellowing of the skin and eyes.
Used in a sentence
Imaging showed a gallstone lodged within the common bile duct.
Good to know
Obstruction of the common bile duct produces jaundice along with pale stool and dark urine, since bile that cannot reach the intestine is instead reabsorbed into the bloodstream.