Porcelain Gallbladder AKA Cholecystopathia Chronica Calcarea
Porcelain gallbladder is the condition where inner wall of the gallbladder becomes encrusted with calcium. Attributed to calcium deposition, the wall of the gallbladder becomes brittle and hard. The cause of development of porcelain gallbladder is not yet determined. There is a female preponderance. Advanced age is also a risk factor. Usually, the condition is asymptomatic. It is found incidentally on abdominal radiographs. In other cases, the patient presents with dull pain in right upper quadrant that radiates to tip of the scapula. Fatty food ingestion aggravates the pain. The pain may also be associated with nausea and vomiting. The management of porcelain gallbladder is cholecystectomy via laparoscopic approach. In asymptomatic cases, routine ultrasounds are indicated, however, surgical removal of gallbladder is usually preferred. Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518979/ Image via: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287405401_Porcelain_gallbladder