Herniation of the gall bladder through the abdominal wall

Abstract

We present a case of an 81-year-old woman, without medical history, with a swelling in the right lateral abdominal wall. Ultrasound and multislice CT were sufficient to confirm the diagnosis of a herniated gall bladder through the abdominal wall. This is the first case in which MRI proved to be a useful modality to exclude malignant characteristics and revealed an accurate differentiation between the gall bladder and the different layers of the abdominal wall. The gall bladder, including three stones, was removed laparoscopically. Histopathological research revealed signs of a chronic cholecystitis. Herniation of the gall bladder through the abdominal wall is rare. It was previously described in a few cases, but they were associated with the presence of an incisional hernia or carcinoma infiltration.