Gallbladder dyskinesia: a cause of chronic abdominal pain in children

Gallbladder dyskinesia (GD) is a well-established disorder in adults, but it is not clearly defined in the paediatric population. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review our experience in a group of children with chronic abdominal pain associated with impaired gallbladder emptying in the absence of cholelithiasis.

The records of sixteen patients who underwent cholecystectomy with the diagnosis of GD were evaluated retrospectively. Clinical presentation, symptoms, diagnostic studies, and the effect of cholecystectomy in alleviating abdominal complaints were investigated.

All patients had symptoms of upper abdominal pain in the absence of other attributable causes associated with low gallbladder ejection fractions (GEF) < 35 %, during cholecystokinin-stimulated hepatobiliary scan (CCK-HBS), and free of gallstones on ultrasound (USG). Abdominal pain and nausea were the most common presenting symptoms. Mean GEF was 15.3 %. All patients underwent cholecystectomy. The histopathological diagnoses of all operated patients were consistent with chronic cholecystitis. Symptoms were completely relieved in all except two patients.

GD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent abdominal pain in children. Patients with this condition present with biliary-type pain and investigations show no evidence of gallstones in the gallbladder. Performing a CCK-HBS establishes the diagnosis. Patients with an abnormal GEF (< 35 %) should undergo cholecystectomy. This procedure has been shown to be effective in curing the symptoms in over 80 % of patients. To avoid late diagnosis, CCK-HBS should be employed early in the evaluation of biliary colic with negative sonographic findings.