Double gallbladder treated successfully by laparoscopy

A rare case of true duplication of the gallbladder is herein reported on a young male patient with other congenital abnormalities. Both gallbladders had unequivocal signs of chronic inflammatory disease and lithiasis. The patient was diagnosed preoperatively as having acute cholecystitis but the diagnosis of an accessory gallbladder was made only at the time of surgery. Emphasis is placed on the use of a complete cholangiographic evaluation before proceeding with the operation in order to prevent inadvertent damage to the biliary ductal system. The accessory gallbladder must then be removed to avoid an unnecessary reoperation. All of this can be accomplished readily by laparoscopic surgery.