Fundus of the Gallbladder Viewed Exclusively from the Posterior Side

Description

Arising from the inferior surface of the right lobe of the liver, the gallbladder is presented with emphasis on its fundus, the rounded distal extremity that projects inferiorly beyond the liver’s anterior margin in many individuals. A posterior perspective places the hepatic surface of the gallbladder toward the viewer, with the fundus continuous superiorly with the body and tapering proximally toward the neck where the cystic duct would originate. Medially, the gallbladder relates to the porta hepatis region and extrahepatic biliary confluence, while laterally it lies under the right costal margin. Orientation is unambiguous. This is a posterior-only depiction. Posterior views of the gallbladder help clarify the organ’s bed against the liver and the planes encountered during cholecystectomy, where dissection proceeds in the subserosal layer along the cystic plate. In acute cholecystitis, the fundus often becomes distended and tense, and posterior relationships influence where edema and adhesions obscure the neck and Calot’s triangle, increasing the risk of common bile duct injury. The fundus-first (top-down) approach, used in difficult gallbladders, starts at this distal end and proceeds proximally when safe exposure of the cystic duct and cystic artery cannot be achieved early. Ideal for hepatobiliary anatomy teaching in gross anatomy and surgical clerkship curricula, this artwork also supports operative atlases discussing posterior dissection planes, subtotal cholecystectomy techniques, and correlation with RUQ ultrasound findings of a distended gallbladder. Publishers can pair it with diagrams of the cystic duct and common hepatic duct to explain biliary obstruction and postoperative bile leak pathways. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.