Perihepatic and abdominal wall abscess mimicking hydatid cyst: A late complication of residual gallbladder stones

Abstract

Intraoperational perforation of the gallbladder and the related residual intraabdominal gallbladder stone presence in cholelithiasis procedures are more commonly seen problems in laparoscopic cholecystectomy than those of open cholecystectomy procedures. Residual intraabdominal stones, though rare, can be encountered in early or late complications that can lead to diagnostic challenges and serious morbidity. A 44-year-old female patient presented with complaints of abdominal pain and swelling on her abdominal wall for the last 6 months. The patient had been in follow-up with hydatid cyst pre-diagnosis following abdominal ultrasonography performed at an external center. The patient’s medical history revealed that she had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery due to cholelithiasis 1.5 years before. Her abdominal computed tomography performed at our hospital showed abscess formations suggested to have been formed due to gallbladders stones. The patient, whose abscess was drained, and stones were extracted laparoscopically, was discharged on the second postoperative day. Residual intraabdominal gallbladder stones can lead to serious complications and misdiagnoses even years later. Utmost attention should be paid to prevent all these and not to perforate the gallbladder during surgery, while ultimate patience and effort should be put in to remove all the gallbladder stones if they are spilled.