What it means
When a person is jaundiced and the gallbladder is enlarged but painless, the blockage of the bile duct is more likely a tumor, such as cancer of the head of the pancreas, than gallstones, because stone disease usually leaves a scarred, shrunken gallbladder. It is named after Ludwig Courvoisier, a Swiss surgeon.
At a glance
| Also written | Courvoisier law, Courvoisier's law, Courvoisier's sign |
|---|
Related terms
jaundice
Yellow color of the skin, the whites of the eyes and other tissues from too much bilirubin in the blood.
pancreas
A long, flat gland behind the stomach that makes digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon.
Charcot triad
Three findings together: fever with chills, pain in the upper right abdomen, and jaundice.