Giant gallbladder: A case report and review of literature

Reports of a giant gallbladder are rare.

A 77-year-old woman was admitted with complaints of dull pain in the right half of the abdomen and a palpable mass at the same place. A computerized tomography scan revealed an extremely enlarged gallbladder. Open cholecystectomy was performed. The volume of the removed organ was as much as 3.35L. Follow-up after 18 months showed that the patient was well. Examination revealed no significant acquired or congenital anomalies that might explain the excessive enlargement of the gallbladder.

We define a 'giant' gallbladder as an extreme enlargement of the organ with a volume exceeding 1.5L, so that its weight is comparable to or even exceeds the mean (estimated) weight of the adult liver (1.5kg). The first clinical presentation of such an enlargement is likely to differ from any other gallbladder disease, but rather to resemble a tumour or cyst of the abdominal cavity.

A giant gallbladder is a special clinical and pathological entity in surgical practice, of unknown origin. It may develop in patients of any age, and mimics a large abdominal tumour or peritoneal cyst. Both the diagnostic process and surgical treatment demand non-routine approaches. Early and late follow-up results seem to be favourable.