Spontaneous rupture of the gall bladder: an unusual forensic diagnosis

Acute cholecystitis and gallbladder perforation leading to massive haemoperitoneum in a patient taking rivaroxaban

We present the case of an 80-year old man taking rivaroxaban for atrial fibrillation who sustained massive intra-abdominal bleeding in the setting of acute cholecystitis. CT scan on admission revealed evidence of active bleeding into the gallbladder lumen and gallbladder perforation. Immediate resuscitation was commenced with intravenous fluids, antibiotics and blood products. Despite attempts to correct coagulopathy, the patient's haemodynamic status deteriorated and an emergency laparotomy was performed, with open cholecystectomy, washout and haemostasis. The patient had a largely uneventful recovery and was discharged on day 11 of admission. Patients with coagulopathies, whether pharmacological or due to underlying disease processes, are at very high risk of severe haemorrhagic complications and subsequent morbidity. As such, prompt recognition and operative management of haemorrhagic perforated cholecystitis is of crucial importance.

Dual pathology-An unreported case

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We present an unreported idiopathic spontaneous gallbladder necrosis.

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Unreported dual pathology of gallbladder necrosis and Meckel’s diverticulum.

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Differential diagnosis of gallbladder necrosis.

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Literature review on gallbladder necrosis.

Introduction

Symptomatic biliary disease in children and young adults requiring surgical intervention are uncommon. However even rarer is the occurrence of a spontaneous gallbladder necrosis in a child. We report a case of spontaneous necrosis in a child with no apparent causative factors.

Case

Fit and well 16 year-old boy presented with acute generalized lower abdominal pain. Examination revealed mild epigastric pain with rebound tenderness and guarding of the right iliac fossa. Diagnostic laparoscopy showed a necrotic gallbladder and incidental finding of a Meckel’s diverticulum. He had a cholecystectomy and Meckel’s diverticulum resection. Patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged home. He was reviewed 2 months later and recovered well with no evidence of any post-operative complication. He was discharged without any further follow up.

Discussion

Gall bladder necrosis is a rare cause of an acute abdomen. We present the first reported case of a spontaneous gallbladder necrosis with no apparent cause. Literature review showed various causes of gall bladder necrosis including trauma, acalculous cholecystitis, gallbladder torsion, gangrenous cholecystitis and etc.

Conclusion

We report a case of spontaneous gallbladder necrosis in a young healthy male with no family history of thrombotic disorders or any history of sepsis, intervention, trauma and no obvious underlying anatomical or histological abnormalities. This is an exceedingly rare pathology and one would be forgiven for not including it on the list of a differential diagnosis in such circumstance. However it is important to send tissue sample to exclude any underlying histological aetiological factors.