Diffuse Adenomyomatosis Of The Gallbladder: An Infrequent Disease Wth Difficult Preoperative Diagnosis

Adenomyomatosis is a rare disease of the gallbladder characterized by epithelial proliferation and formation of mucosal pouches through the thickened muscular layer of the gallbladder wall: the so-called Rokitansky-Aschoff sinus. Most of the patients remain asymptomatic. Hence, adenomyomatosis is usually an incidental finding on ultrasonography performed for other reasons. We present a patient treated during the last year, a 35-year-old woman. She had dull pain in the right subcostal region, approximately 6 months before the diagnosis was established. Diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was made preoperatively on ultrasonography. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was carried out. Diagnosis of diffuse adenomyomatosis was confirmed after histopathological study. Clinical findings, diagnosis and treatment are discussed.