title: Agenesis of the gallbladder.
abstract: Agenesis of the gallbladder is rare. Three groups have been identified: those with multiple fetal anomalies, asymptomatic cases, and symptomatic cases. Right upper quadrant pain is present in 90% of the cases, nausea and vomiting in 60%, and jaundice in 35%. Operative strategy is aimed at thorough exploration to locate an aberrant gallbladder. We treated a 72-year-old woman with right upper quadrant pain, nausea, and vomiting but no fever or jaundice. Physical examination revealed right upper quadrant tenderness without rebound. The white blood cell count was 10,300/mm3. Total bilirubin level was 1.6 mg/dL. Ultrasonography revealed one gallstone and an enlarged common bile duct. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was converted to open technique after failure to locate the gallbladder. On intraoperative cholangiogram, no gallbladder was identified. A T-tube was placed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hospital General de la Ciudad de Mexico SSA, Mexico City.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Baltazar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Diaz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Browder
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002758:Cholangiography; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000002:abnormalities*; D042882:Gallstones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D007565:Jaundice / Q000209:etiology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D001663:Bilirubin