2017 Volume 37 Issue 4 Pages 531-535
Between 2009 and 2015, we experienced 8 cases of torsion of the gallbladder. Here, we examined the utility of various findings in terms of preoperative diagnosis. Patients with torsion of the gallbladder were more likely to be skinny and elderly, compared with patients with acute cholecystitis who underwent a cholecystectomy during the same period. All eight patients with torsion of the gallbladder were underweight, with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5. Underweight cases with a BMI of less than 18.5 accounted for 8.1% of all cases of acute cholecystitis cases, and 34.8% of them had gallbladder torsion. Thus, a low BMI could be a useful finding for preoperative diagnosis. Regarding imaging findings, direct findings suggesting torsion (such as a twisted gallbladder structure) were considered to be more important than indirect findings accompanying torsion (such as a remarkable thickening or poor contrast or high-density area of the gallbladder wall) for preoperative diagnosis. In acute cholecystitis cases with a low BMI, the possibility of gallbladder torsion should be kept in mind when determining the preoperative diagnosis.
