Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
A Two-Step Method for Percutaneous Transhepatic Choledochoscopic Lithotomy
Published on: September 13, 2022
Infant cholelithiasis: report of a case
Insights
Infantile cholelithiasis (gallstones in infants) is rare, often linked to predisposing factors. Diagnosis is increasingly aided by non-invasive ultrasonography, highlighting the need for awareness in pediatric obstructive jaundice.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Neonatal Surgery
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Cholelithiasis (gallstones) is exceptionally rare in infants, posing diagnostic challenges.
- VACTER association is a complex congenital anomaly that can present with gastrointestinal and other issues.
- Obstructive jaundice and acholic stool in neonates warrant thorough investigation for biliary pathology.
Observation:
- A 2-month-old male infant with VACTER association presented with persistent obstructive jaundice and acholic stool.
- Review of Japanese literature identified 30infantile cholelithiasis cases, with 28 having predisposing factors.
- Gallstones were located in the gallbladder (18 cases), bile ducts (7 cases), or both (3 cases).
Findings:
- Ten cases of radiopaque gallstones were valuable for plain abdominal roentgenogram diagnosis.
- Nine infants underwent surgical intervention, including cholecystectomy, choledocholithotomy, and cholecystolithotomy.
- Ultrasonography is increasingly utilized for non-invasive and accurate diagnosis of infantile cholelithiasis.
Implications:
- Increased reporting suggests a potential rise in infantile cholelithiasis diagnoses.
- Early diagnosis and appropriate management are crucial for infants presenting with obstructive jaundice.
- Ultrasonography offers a safe and effective method for identifying gallstones in the neonatal population.
Abstract:
Cholelithiasis is an extremely unusual finding in infancy. The following article describes the case of a 2-month-old male with a VACTER association who presented with persistent and progressive obstructive jaundice and acholic stool due to cholelithiasis. Thirty cases under the age of 1, including our case, have previously been reported in the Japanese literature. Twenty-eight cases had predisposing factors. The calculi were present only in the gallbladder in 18 cases, in the common bile duct or cystic duct or both in 7 cases, and in the gallbladder and common bile duct in 3 cases. Ten cases of stones were radiopaque, which thus made the plain abdominal roentgenogram findings very valuable. Nine cases underwent operation including cholecystectomy in 3 cases, choledocholithotomy in 3 cases, and cholecystolithotomy in 1 case, while the procedure was unknown in 2 cases. Recently, the number of reported cases of cholelithiasis in infants has gradually increased and today these cases are most often diagnosed by ultrasonography, because the examination is easy to perform and not invasive.
