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Ghaderi et al. Mini-invasive Surg 2018;2:13 Mini-invasive Surgery
DOI: 10.20517/2574-1225.2017.52

Case Report Open Access

Duplicated gallbladder with obstructive jaundice: a
case report with video

Iman Ghaderi, Eleisha Flanagan, Suneet Bhansali, Timothy M. Farrell

Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7081, USA.
Correspondence to: Dr. Timothy M. Farrell, Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7081,
USA. E-mail: tfarrell@med.unc.edu
How to cite this article: Ghaderi I, Flanagan E, Bhansali S, Farrell TM. Duplicated gallbladder with obstructive jaundice: a case
report with video. Mini-invasive Surg 2018;2:13. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1225.2017.52
Received: 20 Dec 2017 First Decision: 8 Apr 2018 Revised: 11 Apr 2018 Accepted: 13 Apr 2018 Published: 28 May 2018

Science Editor: Charles F. Bellows Copy Editor: Jun-Yao Li Production Editor: Huan-Liang Wu

Abstract
A 38-year-old male presented with painful obstructive jaundice. Ultrasound showed biliary dilatation and a duplicated
gallbladder (DG). Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) imaging confirmed the diagnosis of DG and
raised the suspicion of a stricture in the distal common bile duct. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram, sphincterotomy
with small stone extraction, and biliary stent placement were accomplished, and the patient was transferred to our
tertiary center. Given the report of a stricture, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was repeated
and showed no duct narrowing or persistent choledocholithiasis, but only one cystic duct and gallbladder filled. The
patient subsequently underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy using top-down technique with complete resection of
both gallbladders. Postoperatively, the patient underwent another ERCP for elevated bilirubin due ampullary edema.
Subsequently, his bilirubin normalized and he was discharged home on postoperative day 5. DG is a rare anatomical
finding that may be associated with choledocholithiasis and cholecystitis. In this case, a combination of radiographic,
endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures was utilized to resolve the patient’s clinical problem.

Keywords: Gallbladder, duplication, cholecystectomy

INTRODUCTION
Duplicated gallbladder (DG) is an uncommon anomaly of the biliary system that may complicate the
[1]
diagnosis and surgical management of symptomatic cholelithiasis . Medical historians disagree about
[2]
the first reported case of DG. Boyden attribute the first documentation to Blasius in 1675, whereas
[3]
[4]
Desolneux et al. and Udelsman and Sugarbaker both credit a sacrificial victim of Emperor Augustus

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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