Cholecystitis in a midline gallbladder: A rare ectopic location.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Anatomy
• Gastrointestinal Surgery
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Ectopic gallbladder is a rare congenital anomaly.
• Diagnosis can be challenging, often requiring advanced imaging.
• Awareness is crucial for surgeons to avoid diagnostic and management errors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the diagnostic difficulties and management of an ectopic gallbladder.
• To present a case study illustrating the clinical presentation and surgical approach.
• To emphasize the role of imaging in identifying this anomaly.

Main Methods:

• Case presentation of a 64-year-old patient with abdominal pain and fever.
• Computed tomography (CT) identified a para-umbilical gallbladder with acute cholecystitis.
• Laparoscopic exploration with conversion to midline incision for cholecystectomy.

Main Results:

• The gallbladder was found attached to the anterior abdominal wall, not in its usual location.
• Intraoperative cholangiography confirmed no biliary tree anomalies.
• Successful cholecystectomy was performed despite initial laparoscopic approach complexity.

Conclusions:

• Ectopic gallbladder can mimic common cholecystitis, causing clinical confusion.
• Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is effective for preoperative diagnosis of biliary variations.
• Laparoscopic surgery is a safe and viable option for treating ectopic gallbladder.