[Gallbladder metastasis of a malignant melanoma]

A 56-year-old male patient consulted our surgical department presenting repetitive pain in his right upper abdomen and already known cholecystolithiasis. There were no other findings in the clinical examination; fever or abnormalities concerning bowel movement or micturition were denied. Except from the extirpation of a melanoma and an appendectomy years ago there were no relevant previous illnesses.

An external CT-Scan of the abdomen revealed a cholecystolithiasis and an unclear thickening of the gallbladder wall near the infundibulum. Blood results showed no relevant pathologic excursion.

After uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy the results of the histopathologic examination revealed a metastasis of the melanoma, which was diagnosed and excised years ago. Additional staging showed pulmonal metastasis and resection in palliative intention was performed.

Gallbladder metastasis of any cancer entities are a rare event, but some studies suggest that the number of events is underestimated concerning the malignant melanoma.If there is a corresponding medical history, symptoms should quickly lead to determined diagnosis and, if in doubt, to cholecystectomy.