Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallbladder torsion: A case report and literature review

We present a case of preoperatively diagnosed gallbladder torsion (GT) that was successfully treated by single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy. An 80-year-old woman presented with sudden pain and a palpable mass in the right upper quadrant. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed ischemic changes, a swollen gallbladder with a V-shaped distortion of the extrahepatic ducts, and the gallbladder in an abnormal anatomical position; clinical findings indicated GT. We performed single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy and intraoperatively found that the floating gallbladder was twisted counterclockwise by 180° around the cystic duct. After an uneventful postoperative course, the patient was discharged on postoperative day 7. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for a GT was first performed in 1994, and since then, 28 cases, including ours, have been treated laparoscopically. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for GT could be the standard treatment for this condition, and single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be a good surgical option for patients with GT because of its anatomical characteristics.