Diagnostic Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) for Abdominal Pain: A Case of Tumefactive Sludge.

Biliary sludge is an extremely viscous sediment, consisting essentially of calcium bilirubinate granules and cholesterol crystals, which, due to its high viscosity, has poor and slow movement, leading to a mass-like configuration called tumefactive biliary sludge. Tumefactive sludge was first described with the advent of ultrasonography in the 1970s and is an uncommon intraluminal lesion of the gallbladder (GB). The differential diagnoses for an echogenic mass in the GB lumen include GB carcinoma, tumefactive sludge, and gangrenous cholecystitis. Ultrasonography is the election method for the screening of GB diseases, with diagnostic accuracy exceeding 90%. The point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has shown a major improvement in the evaluation of hepatobiliary diseases. POCUS allows the detection of GB wall thickness, pericholestatic fluid, sonographic Murphy's sign, and dilatation of the common bile duct. The authors present a case of abdominal pain caused by the presence of tumefactive sludge in the GB, in which POCUS helped establish the diagnosis and therapeutic guidance.

Incidental Gallbladder Carcinoma in North Indian Population: Importance of Routine Histopathological Examination of All Benign Gallbladder Specimens.

AIM: To evaluate the incidence of incidental gallbladder carcinoma in specimens of cholecystectomy performed for benign gallbladder diseases and to establish the utility of routine histopathological examination of all gallbladder specimens obtained following cholecystectomy done for benign diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS:  This was a hospital-based three years prospective and retrospective study done at a tertiary care centre in North India. Gallbladder specimens from laparoscopic and open cholecystectomies done for benign gallbladder diseases without any clinico-radiological evidence of malignancy were included in the study. Routine histopathological evaluation of 1,268 such gallbladder specimens was carried out to get the incidence of incidental gallbladder carcinoma and pathological staging of carcinoma was done according to American Joint Committee recommendations for cancer staging (AJCC). All the diagnosed cases of Incidental gallbladder carcinoma (IGBC) were analysed in terms of demographics, radiology findings, and gross and microscopic pathology findings. RESULTS: Out of 1,268 gallbladder specimens of clinically benign diseases, 16 cases (1.26%) were diagnosed as cases of IGBC with female predominance with a male to female ratio of 1:7. Mean gallbladder thickness in these cases was 0.77±0.20 cm, and 98.30% cases of IGBC were associated with gall stone disease. However, no correlation was observed between the age, gallbladder thickness and pathological stages of these IGBC. CONCLUSION:  IGBC is an occult disastrous malignancy of the gallbladder, which can be missed in the pre and intraoperative periods despite careful clinical and radiological evaluation and comes as a surprise for pathologists the first time. We recommend that all specimens of gallbladder obtained from its surgical resection for benign diseases should be subjected to histopathological examination.

Value of laparoscopic cholecystectomy through the superior margin of public symphysis approach / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To investigate the value of laparoscopic cholecystectomy through superior margin of public symphysis approach.Methods The clinical data of 72 patients with benign gallbladder diseases who were admitted to the Lihuili Hospital from December 2012 to August 2013 were retrospectively analyzed.There were 54 patients with cholecystolithiasis and 18 with gallbladder polyps.Thirty patients received laparoscopic cholecystectomy through the superior margin of public symphysis approach (new method group).Forty-two patients who received transumbilical single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy were in the control group.The operation time,intraoperative blood loss,duration of postoperative hospital stay,degree of postoperative pain and cosmetic effect of the 2 groups were compared.Patients were followed up via out-patient examination and phone call till December 2013.Data were analyzed using the t test or chi-square test.Results Two patients in the new method group and 1 patient in the control group were converted to receive traditional laparoscopic cholecystectomy.The operation time,intraoperative blood loss,duration of postoperative hospital stay,scores of satisfaction with the incision and degree of postoperative pain were (28 ± 3) minutes,(23 ± 10) mL,(2.0 ± 0.5) days,4.3 ± 0.5 and 5.8 ± 0.8 in the new method group,and (39±4)minutes,(24±l0)mL,(2.0±0.6)days,3.9±0.5 and 5.9±0.9 in the control group.There were significant differences in the operation time and score of satisfaction with the incision between the 2 groups were detected (t =10.032,2.423,P ＜ 0.05),while no significant differences in the volume of intraoperative blood loss,duration of postoperative hospital stay and degree of pain between the 2 groups (t =1.021,0.000,1.760,P ＞ 0.05).All the patients were recovered,and were administered with semi-fluid food at postoperative day 2.No bleeding,bile leakage,incisional infection occurred,and no patient died perioperatively.Analgesics were not needed in the 2 groups.All the patients were followed up for 1-6 months.Patients were satisfied with the cosmetic appearance of the incision,and no inflammation,pain and infection of the incision occurred.Conclusions Laparoscopic cholecystectomy through the superior margin of public symphysis approach is safe and feasible,with the advantages of short operation time,cosmetic appearance of incision and easy manipulation.