A Rare Pathology of Difficult Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Xanthogranulomatous Cholecystitis.

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) is a rare inflammatory condition of the gallbladder (GB). Preoperatively, it is a diagnostic challenge. One thousand and seventy nine laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) patients from September 2012 to June 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Fourteen patients were identified with XGC. An analysis was carried out on this group of patients looking at postoperative pathology results, preoperative radiology, operative findings and outcome. The overall frequency of XGC was 1.3%. A thick walled GB was found in 11 patients on preoperative imaging. Retrospectively suggestive feature thick gallbladder walls with low attenuation mural nodules. No suspicion of cancer was demonstrated in the final histology or preoperatively. Five cases (36%) perforated intraoperatively. Although all were surgically challenging, no conversions to open were performed. The perforation risk could be higher. A difficult cholecystectomy should alert a surgeon to consider XGC as a diagnosis. Contrary to the popular belief, XGC was found to be difficult to differentiate from infection rather than malignancy.

Renal calcified mass misdiagnosed as a renal calculus in an adult with tuberculosis "autonephrectomy": a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis was once a disease much more prominent in the minds of UK urologists. The dramatic reduction in incidence following the success of antituberculous therapy has meant that new generation surgeons have little or no experience of the effects and management of tuberculosis of the kidney. With concern over multidrug resistant tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus associated tuberculosis and immigration of persons from areas endemic with this disorder, clinicians may see an increase in cases of renal tuberculosis. Renal tuberculosis "autonephrectomy" is the end stage of chronic renal tuberculosis infection and results from the caseous necrosis and progressive cavitation of the kidney. Resultant calcification may mimic the appearances of a renal calculus on plane film X-ray. Back, flank and abdominal pain are non-specific symptoms often investigated by General Practitioners using plane film X-ray. Clinicians not considering a diagnosis of renal tuberculosis may confuse the radiographic appearances with that of a renal calculus as occurred in our case. Once a diagnosis of tuberculosis autonephrectomy is made the next decision is whether any further investigations and treatment is necessary as the condition has been reported to be a cause of hypertension and reactivation of tuberculosis is also possible. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a 66 year old Caucasian female who presented to her General Practitioner with left sided lumber and loin pain. A lumbar spine X-ray showed a calcified mass reported as a renal calculus. Urological opinion was sort and a computerised tomogram confirmed a renal tuberculosis "auto nephrectomy". The patient had been diagnosed with tuberculosis aged 16. The patient had no lower urinary tract symptoms and normal urinalysis. Although there is some evidence to suggest nephrectomy is beneficial in treating hypertension in these patients (the patient in our case was on two anti hypertensive preparations), the patient did not want to consider surgery as her symptoms had settled spontaneously. CONCLUSION: Although very rare in non endemic countries clinicians still need to consider a diagnosis of renal tuberculosis in patients with previous tuberculosis exposure and calcification of the urinary tract. In cases of uncontrolled hypertension consideration should be given to nephrectomy in cases of end stage renal tuberculosis. This decision should be made in consultation with a nephrologist.