Spontaneous resolution of cholelithiasis in an infant

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Neonatal Medicine
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Infantile cholelithiasis, or gallstones, is a rare condition with several implicated causes including hemolytic disease and prematurity.
• Recent reports link gallstones in infants to prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, parenteral nutrition, and furosemide use.
• Idiopathic gallstones in infants have rarely been observed to spontaneously resolve.

Observation:

• An 11-week-old infant presented with sonographic evidence of true gallstones.
• Follow-up sonographic examinations documented the complete resolution of the gallstones.

Findings:

• The infant had no clinical or imaging evidence of biliary tract disease.
• The gallstones identified via ultrasound disappeared without intervention.

Implications:

• Conservative management and serial ultrasounds are recommended for infants with idiopathic gallstones.
• This case highlights the potential for spontaneous resolution of infantile gallstones.
• Further research may elucidate the mechanisms behind idiopathic infantile cholelithiasis resolution.