Cystic duct

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Cystic duct
Digestive system diagram showing the cystic duct
1: Right lobe of liver
2: Left lobe of liver
3: Quadrate lobe of liver
4: Round ligament of liver
5: Falciform ligament
6: Caudate lobe of liver
7: Inferior vena cava
8: Common bile duct
9: Hepatic artery
10: Portal vein
11: Cystic duct
12: Hepatic duct
13: Gallbladder
Latin ductus cysticus
Gray's subject #250 1198
Artery cystic artery
Dorlands/Elsevier d_29/12314797

The cystic duct is the short duct that joins the gall bladder to the common bile duct. It usually lies next to the cystic artery. It is of variable length. It contains a 'spiral valve', which does not provide much resistance to the flow of bile.

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[edit] Function

Bile can flow in both directions between the gallbladder and the common hepatic duct and the (common) bile duct.

In this way, bile is stored in the gallbladder in between meal times and released after a fatty meal.

[edit] Clinical significance

During a cholecystectomy, the cystic duct is clipped two or three times and a cut is made between the clips, freeing the gallbladder to be taken out.

[edit] See also

[edit] Additional images

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