Gallbladder volvulus: review of the literature and report of a case

Abstract

Gallbladder volvulus is defined as the rotation of the gallbladder on its mesentery along the axis of the cystic duct and cystic artery. The presence of a redundant mesentery (floating gallbladder) is a prerequisite for volvulus. The disease, described for the first time by Wendel in 1898, is an extremely rare surgical disease. The disease mimics acute cholecystitis symptoms. Because of these two conditions, preoperative diagnosis of the disease is difficult. In any case, the definitive diagnosis is made during surgery. Volvulus of the gallbladder is an acute surgical emergency that must be treated with immediate detorsion and cholecystectomy. We report a case of gallbladder volvulus suspected pre-operatively using pre-operative imaging with ultrasound. The cases reported in the literature are reviewed and the treatment of gallbladder volvulus is also discussed.