Giant gallstone in abdominal wall: a rare complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Abstract

We aim to report a case of abdominal wall mass formation secondary to gallbladder perforation and stone spillage occurring during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). A 73-year-old women presented with purulent discharge from one of her previous port sites one year after she underwent LC. The latter revealed a round opaque mass in an abscess like cavity, and subsequently an ultrasonography showed a round echogenity with acoustic shadow posteriorly. Axial CT images verified the presence of a well-circumscribed hyperdensity which was really a gallstone in a cystic mass. To reduce this complication, excessive traction of the gallbladder should be avoided during dissection. Prior to extraction, gallbladder contents should be aspirated, and to extract larger stones. In the event of perforation occurring, the gallbladder should be placed in a plastic bag, spilled stones should be retrieved where possible and excessive irrigation used to remove the bile.