Tuberculosis of the gall bladder

• Published in: Chirurg Vol. 74; no. 5; pp. 478 - 481
• Main Authors: Ruhl, K M, Krones, C J, Hermanns, B, Schumpelick, V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Germany 01.05.2003
• Subjects: Cholecystectomy; Cholecystitis - diagnostic imaging; Cholecystitis - pathology; Cholecystitis - surgery; Diagnosis, Differential; Gallbladder - pathology; Gallbladder Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Gallbladder Diseases - pathology; Gallbladder Diseases - surgery; Gallbladder Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Gallbladder Neoplasms - pathology; Gallbladder Neoplasms - surgery; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Tuberculosis - diagnostic imaging; Tuberculosis - pathology; Tuberculosis - surgery
• ISSN: 0009-4722; 1433-0385
• DOI: 10.1007/s00104-003-0624-8

We report a case of gall bladder tuberculosis in a 64-year-old male. The gall bladder is an extremely rare localization of an infectious disease seen frequently worldwide--tuberculosis. The reason for this special resistance against the mycobacteria is not clear and is controversial. In imaging, the disease can mimic acute or chronic cholecystitis or carcinoma of the gall bladder. It is important to consider tuberculous cholecystitis in differential diagnosis and to do tuberculin skin tests in case of suspicion. This test is technically easy and cost-effective. Since 1968, isolated tuberculosis of the gall bladder has not been reported in western civilization. This case study was done because of the rareness of the disease,and we review the literature on this topic.