title: Pathologic evaluation of gallbladder in patients who underwent cholecystectomy and hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to describe the pathologic findings of the gallbladder in patients who underwent simultaneous cholecystectomy and hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a hospital-based retrospective study. The authors analyzed the medical records of all subjects with hepatocellular carcinoma who were initially treated by hepatic resection and cholecystectomy at 1 medical center in Taiwan from 1995 to 2008. Totally, 549 subjects were enrolled in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 428 men (78.0%) and 121 women (22.0%). The mean age was 55.6 ± 13.2 years (range, 15-88 years). Among the 549 subjects with hepatocellular carcinoma, only 1 patient (0.2%) had gallbladder metastasis. The prevalence of gallstones was 9.3%; the prevalence of cholesterolosis of the gallbladder was 6.6%; and the prevalence of cholesterol polyp of the gallbladder was 0.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma to the gallbladder is low. Other lesions inside the gallbladder among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are benign and they do not always require cholecystectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung city, Taiwan. wei@mail.cmuh.org.tw
authors.forename: Shih-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary; D042882:Gallstones / Q000453:epidemiology; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult