DEAR DR. GOTT: My 78-year-old mother recently passed away owing to gallbladder surgery. The surgeon that took it out accidentally cut a duct of Luschka, and she had a bile leak into her body. She never recovered from the second surgery to repair the leak. Can you explain what the duct of Luschka is and does everybody have one?
DEAR READER: Yes, everyone does. The “duct of Luschka” was named after a German anatomist, referring to an accessory duct that transports bile from the working tissue of the liver (as opposed to supporting or connective tissue) into the gallbladder. Unfortunately, with injury to the duct, a devastating outcome can occur about a week after resection as bile drains into the abdominal cavity. My sympathies are with you.