A Case of Traumatic Gallbladder Injury Treated by Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Abstract

A 24-year-old man was brought to our hospital by ambulance complaining of severe right abdominal pain immediately after being kicked in the abdomen. Isolated gallbladder injury was diagnosed by contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography. Since contrast agent extravasation from the cystic artery was evident, emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy was conducted. Although there was a subserosal hematoma around the neck of the gallbladder, there was no sign of perforation. The patient's postoperative course was generally good, and he was discharged on Day 7. Isolated gallbladder injury is extremely rare, and because it has no specific symptoms, its diagnosis and treatment are often very difficult. There have been very few reported cases of the use of laparoscopic surgery for gallbladder injury. A good outcome was achieved by diagnosis and treatment soon after the traumatic gallbladder injury was sustained. This case is reported along with a discussion of the literature.