Kawasaki syndrome: report of four cases with acute gallbladder hydrops

We studied gallbladder involvement in 19 patients with Kawasaki syndrome who presented over a 4-year period from 1979 to 1982. Diagnosis and follow-up of gallbladder disease were defined by real-time ultrasound. Complete spontaneous resolution of abdominal symptomatology related to the hydropic gallbladder occurred without complication and did not require surgical intervention. We suggest that the incidence of hydrops of the gallbladder in mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome is higher than commonly appreciated, since diagnosis may be missed unless ultrasound is performed.