J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2019 Aug;30(4):366-370. 10.0000/jksem.2019.30.4.366.

Incidentally detected gallbladder agenesis in a child: the importance of identifying anatomic structure

• Jung JH
• Suh HR
• Lee DE
• Choe JY
• Lee SM
• Kang B
• Choe BH

• KMID: 2457230
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jksem.2019.30.4.366

Abstract

The absence of a gallbladder is a very rare anomaly. While it is usually asymptomatic, it can cause biliary colic symptoms. For these reasons, gallbladder agenesis can be misdiagnosed as a hepatobiliary disease and is diagnosed correctly after surgery. This condition may also be detected through an autopsy for other causative diseases. Abdominal ultrasonography is used as a diagnostic method to detect gallbladder agenesis. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and endoscopic cholangiopancreatography are also used to make a more accurate diagnosis. In the emergency room, however, gallbladder agenesis can still be misdiagnosed as acute or chronic cholecystitis, leading to the detection of gallbladder agenesis in the operating room. Although some cases of gallbladder agenesis detected in adults during surgery have been reported in Korea, there are no reports of gallbladder agenesis in pediatric patients to date. This paper reports a case of gallbladder agenesis in a symptomatic child that was detected incidentally by a radiographic examination.

Keyword

Gallbladder agenesis; Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography; Pediatrics

MeSH Terms

Adult
Autopsy
Child*
Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance
Cholecystitis
Colic
Diagnosis
Emergency Service, Hospital
Gallbladder*
Humans
Korea
Methods
Operating Rooms
Pediatrics
Radionuclide Imaging
Ultrasonography