Twists and Turns: Gallbladder Volvulus in an Elderly Patient

Abstract

Gallbladder volvulus (GBV) is a rare medical condition characterized by twisting of the gallbladder around its mesentery. The condition presents with a higher prevalence in older, thin, elderly women and is a challenging diagnosis with nonspecific symptoms often overlapping with acute cholecystitis. Early diagnosis and intervention are critical to prevent complications including ischemia, necrosis, gangrene, perforation, or sepsis. This case is about a 94-year-old woman who presented with epigastric and right upper quadrant pain, nausea, and vomiting with non-specific laboratory results and radiographic findings, leading to an intraoperative diagnosis of GBV. This report underscores the importance of considering GBV in differentials for acute abdominal signs and symptoms and the challenges in diagnosing GBV preoperatively due to its non-specific presentation and, in this case, unrevealing laboratory findings.