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Case Reports
. 2013 Apr-Jun;17(2):327-9.
doi: 10.4293/108680813X13654754534396.

Diagnosis and treatment of gallbladder torsion in a 6 year old

Trevor C Farnsworth  1 , Carl A Weiss 3rd
Affiliations
Case Reports

Diagnosis and treatment of gallbladder torsion in a 6 year old

Trevor C Farnsworth et al. JSLS. 2013 Apr-Jun.

Abstract

Introduction: Torsion of the gallbladder in the pediatric population is rare. A nonspecific clinical presentation is characteristic, which frequently contributes to diagnostic uncertainty.

Case description: We report a case of gallbladder torsion in a 6-y-old male with abdominal distention and lethargy accompanied by a low-grade leukocytosis. An abdominal computed tomography scan suggested the finding of acute appendicitis suspicious for perforation.

Discussion: This case highlights the utility of laparoscopic evaluation in the setting of clinical and radiographic diagnostic uncertainty.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Abdominal CT without contrast. The GB was interpreted as healthy on CT scan.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Abdominal/pelvic CT. Appendicitis is suspected. It has likely ruptured, because the caliber is relatively small (5 mm), and there is a fairly large amount of fluid; some of the small fluid contains dots of free peritoneal air in the dependent-most portion of the pelvic free fluid.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Intraoperative view of ischemic peritonealized GB demonstrating counterclockwise rotation on a GB pedicle comprised of the cystic duct and artery.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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