The gallbladder concentrates and stores bile as a pear-shaped sac which it can release to help digestion after a fatty meal.
Dr. Belsley and Dr. Connery setting up robot for thoracic surgery
Robotic thymectomy is a challenging operation and requires careful bedside planning. Dr. Connery in the foreground is positioning the robotic arms so that they will have maximal mobility outside the body. A limitation of the system includes the external collisions that may occur with the relatively large arms. If careful planning is not performed, there is potential for limited intracorporeal movement.
Related Glossary Terms
The duodenum is a C-shaped tube that receives food from the stomach and prepares it for chemical digestion further along in the intestines.
The omentum is a fatty apron that serves a protective role and helps filter immune responses to gut bacteria.
The colon is a large tube that stores feces and also contains helpful bacteria that breaks down food that has not yet been absorbed.
The stomach is a muscular sac that is important for absorbing food and preparing food for further digestion.
The liver is a solid organ that produces bile for fat digestion and is also the first stop for the majority of absorbed nutrients.
The pancreas is a gland that produces chemicals for food break-down as well as a hormone system that regulates sugar.