Double gall bladder: A rare anomaly diagnosed during the laparoscopic cholecystectomy

• Main Authors: Mir Yasir, Maria Kapoor, Aiffa Aiman, Abhineet Suri
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014-01-01
• Series: Journal of the Scientific Society
• Subjects: Biliary anomaly; double gall bladder; gall bladder duplication
• Online Access: http://www.jscisociety.com/article.asp?issn=0974-5009;year=2014;volume=41;issue=1;spage=45;epage=46;aulast=Yasir

Gall bladder duplication is an unusual biliary anomaly with a reported incidence of 1:4000 in the autopsy studies of humans. Lack of awareness, non-specific symptoms and signs and inadequacy of imaging methods are possible reasons for the reported problem of overlooking of the additional gall bladders before and during the surgery. We present a 22-year-old male who presented to us with a history of acute cholecystitis 3 months back with ultrasonography documented cholelithiasis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which was carried out as an elective procedure, revealed a double gall bladder. An accurate, preferably pre-operative diagnosis, identification and removal of all gall bladders during the laparoscopy are mandatory to prevent inadvertent damage to the biliary ductal system, possible overlooking of the second gall bladder and hence post-operative cholecystitis.