Abstract
A case of emphysematous cholecystitis due to Aeromonas hydrophilia is reported. A 79-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with mild right hypochondral pain. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) on admission revealed that fundus of the gallbladder was filled with measuring about 3×3 cm in size gallstones and contained a gas shadow. Another abdominal CT, on the 21th hospital day, revealed that the size and location of the gas shadow was unchanged compared with the prior gas shadow. On the 24th hospital day the patient underwent a cholecystectomy and choledochotomy under the diagnosis of emphysemaous cholecystitis with gallstones. Histological examination of the gallbladder revealed gangrenous cholecystitis with multiple ulcers. Aerobic bil and gallstone cultures fielded an oxidase positive, gram negative rod identified as A hydrophilia. Cholecystitis associated with A hydrophilia infection has been noted in three previous cases, but emphysematous cholecystitis due to A hydrophilia has never been reported. Therefore our case is thought to be the first one of this condition.
