Duplication of the gallbladder and cystic duct as a rare finding during cholecystectomy – a case report

Overview

Congenital anomalies of the gallbladder, the biliary tract and their vasculature are relatively common. They usually represent only anatomical variations that may not manifest clinically, but in some cases they are of fundamental importance for the surgeon as they can cause diagnostic confusion or lead to problems during surgery. Their ignorance may result in many errors, injury during surgery and subsequent serious consequences.

Genuine duplication of the gallbladder with the cystic duct and its artery is extremely rare and is therefore still only a subject of case reports. Gallbladder duplication itself is not an indication for surgery. If it contains stones or if inflammation occurs, however, both gallbladders may not be affected equally and if this variety is not recognized, only one of them may be removed and the other one can escape attention.

The case report describes the rare case of gallbladder duplication including the cystic duct during elective cholecystectomy in a middle-aged man who was operated on after birth for omphalocele. Preoperative diagnostic examination described malrotation of the intestine and a cystic lesion next to the gallbladder, considered to be rather a liver cyst. Although it was indeed possible to assume various other abnormalities in the anatomical arrangement of the organs with regard to the patient’s history, the finding of double gallbladder including cystic duct was still surprising.

Key words:
gallbladder anomaly – cholecystectomy – double gallbladder – cystic duct