Agenesis of the gallbladder: difficulties in management

Gallbladder agenesis is a rare congenital biliary anomaly that may be associated with other biliary and extrabiliary congenital anomalies. Awareness of this entity by clinicians and radiologists is essential because many of these patients present with biliary symptoms and have unnecessary operations. In the present article, the relative epidemiological, etiological (embryology and development), pathophysiological, diagnostic tools and pitfalls and management aspects of this rare anatomic anomaly are briefly discussed through review of the literature. Particular reference to the difficulty in preoperative diagnosis is highlighted. The importance of the possibility of preoperative diagnosis to avoid unnecessary surgery is stressed.