Agenesis of the gallbladder in symptomatic adults. A case and review of the literature.
Agenesis of the gallbladder, with normal bile ducts, is a rare congenital condition occurring in 13 to 65 per 100,000 population, probably from failure of the gallbladder bud to develop or vacuolize in utero. Adults are usually asymptomatic. We report a 40-year-old woman with gallbladder agenesis, found at operation for presumed gallbladder disease. We review 44 similar cases: dyspepsia was the predominant symptom in 15 of 44 patients (34%); 24 of 44 (54%) had symptoms suggestive of biliary colic, and 12 of 44 (27%) had jaundice. Common duct stones were found in eight of 12 patients who were jaundiced, but not in any other. A familial tendency was reported in five series. Our patient and one other had another congenital anomaly. Ultrasound was performed on five patients: three had a small, shrunken gallbladder and in two the gallbladder was absent. Ultrasound may suggest the diagnosis if absence of the gallbladder is demonstrated in conjunction with another congenital anomaly.
Department of Medicine, Bridgeport Hospital, Yale University School of Medicine, Connecticut.
R J
RJ
Richards
H
H
Taubin
D
D
Wasson
D000328:Adult; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D042882:Gallstones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography