[Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a patient with situs inversus totalis]

To report a case with situs inversus totalis (SIT) and chronic cholelithiasis solved by laparoscopic surgery, outlining the utility of minimal invasive surgery and specific considerations in patients with anatomic variations.

A case of a 46 year-old female who presented with a six-month history of abdominal colic pain at the left hypochondrium, accompanied with nausea and vomiting, is presented. On examination she had epigastric tenderness. Blood tests, including liver function tests, were normal. Electrocardiogram showed right axis deviation and right ventricular hypertrophy, in keeping with dextrocardia. Chest-X-Ray confirmed the diagnosis of dextrocardia. An ultrasound scan of the upper abdomen identified the gallbladder containing stones in the left upper quadrant. A CT scan visualized the spleen and the gastric camera in the right upper quadrant. Barium gastrointestinal transit, barium enema and abdominal-X-Ray were used as complementary diagnostic studies. A magnetic resonance cholangiography was not performed because the patient suffered from claustrophobia. Cholecystectomy and transcystic cholangiography were performed by laparoscopic route, taking care to set-up the operating theatre in the mirror image of the normal set-up for cholecystectomy. The patient completed a successful procedure without complications and was discharged 48 hours after the procedure. Histological exam diagnosed a chronic lithiasic cholecystitis.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is an adequate surgical procedure for patients with total situs inversus and cholelithiasis, having a high security range. Detailed clinical examination is important for the diagnosis of previously unknown anatomic variations. Transcystic cholangiography is mandatory when a magnetic resonance cholangiography can not be performed. Furthermore, perhaps in this situation a left-handed surgeon is better prepared than a right-handed one to comfortably carry out the procedure.