Isolated Traumatic Gallbladder Injury: A Rare Case

Abstract

The prevalence of gallbladder injury in a traumatic event is rare, occurring in only 1.9%-2.0% of all abdominal traumas. Isolated gallbladder injuries, without any damage to surrounding organs or tissues, are even less common. Presenting symptoms are often nonspecific, and imaging modalities of ultrasound (US) and CT are usually relied upon to diagnose gallbladder injury accurately. Identifying and strategically treating cases of gallbladder injury, through reviewing this case report, are important for patient outcomes. We present a case of isolated gallbladder injury in a 27-year-old male after sustaining blunt-force abdominal trauma from a snowmobile injury. The patient presented to the emergency department (ED) three days after the initial injury with complaints of significant abdominal pain associated with eating solid food. Upon workup, he was found to have an isolated traumatic gallbladder injury for which a laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed, and the patient was discharged with no complications. Gallbladder injury, with no evidence of other intra-abdominal injuries, is rare and often not considered in the differential for a trauma patient. Delayed intervention is associated with adverse patient outcomes, emphasizing the need to consider gallbladder injuries in patients presenting with abdominal pain, especially with a history of chronic alcohol use.