title: An abdominal mass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A 93-year-old woman, with life-threatening comorbidities, was admitted to our hospital for fever, nausea, vomiting, and a large and tender abdominal mass. The CT scan showed a gallbladder empyema with a large stone inside.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Having considered the age of the patient and the presence of life-threatening comorbidities, we decided to drain percutaneously the gallbladder under US guidance. After drainage, the patient showed immediate relief from pain and she made a fast and full recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous drainage of gallbladder empyema is an effective procedure and a good alternative for patients unfit to undergo surgery due to severe comorbidities.
authors.affiliation: St. Andrea Hospital, Department of Surgery, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. giuseppe.nigri@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Nigri
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aurello
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramacciato
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans