International Journal of Case Reports

Vol. 5 (2021): International Journal of Case Reports
Case Reports

Acute cholecystitis with intraluminal gallbladder bleeding: Case report and literature review

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  • Jerica Novak, Aleksander Göntér, Jurij Janež
Jerica Novak, Aleksander Göntér, Jurij Janež
Department of Abdominal Surgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.28933/ijcr-2021-06-2005

Keywords

  • hemorrhagic cholecystitis, anticoagulant therapy, hematoperitoneum, abdominal CT, emergency surgery

How to Cite

Jerica Novak, Aleksander Göntér, Jurij Janež. (2021). Acute cholecystitis with intraluminal gallbladder bleeding: Case report and literature review. International Journal of Case Reports, 5, 228. https://doi.org/10.28933/ijcr-2021-06-2005
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Background: Hemorrhagic cholecystitis is an infrequent complication of acute cholecystitis associated with high mortality rate. Recognition of this acute abdominal condition is often challenging. Authors present a case of acute intraluminal gallbladder bleeding with a consequential gallbladder wall perforation and hematoperitoneum requiring emergency surgery in a patient on anticoagulant therapy.

Case Presentation: An 80-year old woman with atrial fibrillation on warfarin was presented to abdominal surgeon due to acute abdominal pain with hemodynamic instability and active intraluminal gallbladder bleeding on CT-scan. An emergency laparotomy with cholecystectomy was performed. Despite intensive treatment patient died on the third postoperative day.

Conclusions: Hemorrhagic cholecystitis is a potentially life-threatening condition. Patients on anticoagulant therapy with clinical signs of acute cholecystitis are more prone to develop bleeding into the gallbladder. Contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen is the diagnostic modality of choice and cholecystectomy definitive therapy in patients with hemorrhagic cholecystitis.

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