Septate gallbladder

Case contributed by Ashesh Ishwarlal Ranchod
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Incidental finding. Unrelated history of ischemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, presenting with cardiac failure.

Patient Data

Age: 80 years
Gender: Male
ultrasound

Features consistent with a septated gallbladder, with multiple septa splitting the gallbladder lumen. The gallbladder is otherwise normal.

Case Discussion

Typical appearance of a multiseptated gallbladder. This is a rare congenital appearance of the gallbladder due to multiple septa splitting the lumen. Single septa oriented longitudinally give rise to a "bi-lobed" gallbladder while oriented transverse or obliquely give rise to an "hourglass" gallbladder1. The compartmentalisation of the gallbladder may lead to increased bile stasis, predisposing to cholelithiasis and cholecystitis1. In this instance, the patient has no significant current or past history of biliary colic and remains completely asymptomatic.

The differential diagnosis includes

  1. duplicated gallbladder

  2. gallbladder diverticulum

  3. gallbladder fold(s)

  4. Phrygian cap

  5. choledochal cyst

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