Cholecystectasia

/ˌkoʊləsɪsˈtɛʃə/ noun

Definition

Abnormal swelling or enlargement of the gallbladder due to fluid accumulation or obstruction.

Etymology

From Greek 'chole' (bile) + 'kystis' (bladder) + 'ektasis' (stretching or dilation). The '-ectasia' suffix describes pathological expansion of hollow organs, established in medical terminology by the 1800s.

Kelly Says

When doctors see a balloon-like gallbladder filling with bile on ultrasound, they use this term—it's one of those medical words that literally describes what they're seeing: something stretched dangerously wide.

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