Gallbladder duplication: evaluation, treatment, and classification

Area of Science:

• Embryology
• Surgical Anatomy
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Duplicate gallbladder is a rare congenital anomaly, with ~210 cases reported.
• Embryonic development abnormalities during weeks 5-6 of gestation cause these variations.
• Existing classifications include duplicate, triplicate, and septated gallbladders.

Observation:

• A 15-year-old female presented with a duplicated gallbladder and a duplicated cystic duct.
• This rare combination of anomalies was identified.
• The patient underwent successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Findings:

• The case highlights an extremely unusual combination of gallbladder and cystic duct duplication.
• A review of existing literature was conducted.
• The Unified Classification of Multiple Gallbladders is proposed based on these findings.

Implications:

• The proposed classification may aid in standardizing the description of gallbladder anomalies.
• Understanding these rare variations is crucial for surgical planning and patient outcomes.
• This case contributes to the knowledge base of congenital gallbladder malformations.