Over Three Hundred Gallstones Removed Through Difficult Cholecystectomy - A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Cholelithiasis, or gallstones, is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder with significant global healthcare costs.
• Cholesterol hypersaturation is the main driver of gallstone formation, with age and female sex traditionally recognized as key risk factors.
• Emerging research indicates a strong correlation between obesity and cholesterol gallstones.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a case of acute cholecystitis in a middle-aged male patient.
• To underscore the diagnostic utility of clinical examination, laboratory analysis, and abdominal ultrasound.
• To reinforce the role of cholecystectomy in managing symptomatic gallstone disease.

Main Methods:

• A case report detailing a 49-year-old male presenting with acute right upper quadrant abdominal pain.
• Diagnostic methods included physical examination, abdominal ultrasound, and laboratory analyses.
• Surgical intervention (cholecystectomy) was performed.

Main Results:

• The patient was diagnosed with acute cholecystitis.
• Surgical findings revealed a thickened gallbladder wall with gangrenous mucosa and over 300 gallstones.
• The gallstones ranged in size from 2 mm to 5 mm.

Conclusions:

• Clinical assessment, laboratory results, and abdominal ultrasound are definitive diagnostic modalities for gallstones.
• Cholecystectomy is the established treatment for both symptomatic and asymptomatic gallstone disease.
• This case illustrates the importance of timely diagnosis and surgical management of acute cholecystitis.