Giant gallbladder: A case report and review of literature

• Reports of giant gallbladders are rare and do not exceed eight cases worldwide.
• We presented here a case of a giant gallbladder and review of literature.
• We define a gallbladder as ‘giant’ if the volume of the organ exceeds 1.5 L.
• A giant gallbladder may develop patients of any age, mimicking an abdominal tumour.
• Diagnostics and treatment of a giant gallbladder demand non-routine approaches.

INTRODUCTIONReports of a giant gallbladder are rare.PRESENTATION OF CASEA 77-year-old woman was admitted with complaints of dull pain in the right half of the abdomen and a palpable mass at the same place. A computerized tomography scan revealed an extremely enlarged gallbladder. Open cholecystectomy was performed. The volume of the removed organ was as much as 3.35 L.Follow-up after 18 months showed that the patient was well. Examination revealed no significant acquired or congenital anomalies that might explain the excessive enlargement of the gallbladder.DISCUSSIONWe define a ‘giant’ gallbladder as an extreme enlargement of the organ with a volume exceeding 1.5 L, so that its weight is comparable to or even exceeds the mean (estimated) weight of the adult liver (1.5 kg). The first clinical presentation of such an enlargement is likely to differ from any other gallbladder disease, but rather to resemble a tumour or cyst of the abdominal cavity.CONCLUSIONA giant gallbladder is a special clinical and pathological entity in surgical practice, of unknown origin. It may develop in patients of any age, and mimics a large abdominal tumour or peritoneal cyst. Both the diagnostic process and surgical treatment demand non-routine approaches. Early and late follow-up results seem to be favourable.