Hybrid Single-Port Cholecystectomy of a Pediatric Gallbladder Volvulus

Gallbladder volvulus is a rare gallbladder pathology that can present in adults but is exceedingly rare in children. The diagnosis itself can be very challenging due to its presentation with signs and symptoms of acute cholecystitis without specific imaging findings. The correct identification and prompt intervention with a cholecystectomy are crucial to improve patient outcomes. In this report, we discuss a pediatric patient who presented with gallbladder volvulus and subsequently underwent novel treatment with a single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patient is a 12-year-old male of Haitian descent who presented to an outside facility following the onset of persistent, right upper quadrant abdominal pain and recurrent nonbilious emesis. The diagnostic workup included serial abdominal exams, laboratory work, right upper quadrant ultrasounds, and a hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan. The patient then underwent single-port laparoscopic removal of the torsed gallbladder with complete resolution of his symptoms. In this case report, the management and clinical presentation of gallbladder volvulus are discussed in more detail as well as the feasibility of single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the setting of pediatric gallbladder volvulus.