Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis mimicking gallbladder cancer and causing obstructive cholestasis.
BACKGROUND
Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) is a destructive inflammatory disease of the gallbladder that can mimic gallbladder carcinoma.


METHODS
We present the case of a 35-year-old Hispanic male complaining of right upper quadrant pain and jaundice for 2 months prior to admission. He denied a history of fever, nausea/vomiting, and weight loss. The past medical history was relevant only for diabetes. He had no previous history of jaundice or previous operations.


RESULTS
CA19-9 was slightly elevated (52 U/mL). Abdominal ultrasonography showed an irregular thickening of the gallbladder wall and no gallstones were detected. CT scan also revealed an irregular thickening of the wall of the gallbladder body suggestive of malignancy. At laparotomy, the mass was adherent to the duodenum and colon, and although the frozen section biopsy was negative, the intraoperative findings were suggestive of malignancy, and the patient underwent left liver trisegmentectomy, resection of the common bile duct and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Pathological examination unexpectedly revealed XGC without malignancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative and intraoperative differential diagnosis of XGC from gallbladder carcinoma remains a challenge when it is associated with inflammatory involvement of surrounding tissues. Since gallbladder carcinoma and XGC may coexist, radical resection is justified when malignancy cannot be completely ruled out.
Department of Surgery, Transplant Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. martins.paulo@mgh.harvard.edu
Paulo N
PN
Martins
Patricia
P
Sheiner
Marcelo
M
Facciuto
D000328:Adult; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006099:Granuloma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014973:Xanthomatosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen