Spontaneous cystic duct perforation associated with acalculous cholecystitis

Spontaneous perforation of the extrahepatic biliary tree is rare in adults. Although perforation of the hepatic, common hepatic, common bile, and cystic ducts has been reported, review of the English literature reveals only four cases of cystic duct perforation, each attributed to calculi. We herein report the first known case of spontaneous perforation of the cystic duct in the absence of biliary calculi.