Neuroendocrine small-cell carcinoma of the gallbladder. An unexpected finding after diagnostic laparoscopy
Journal
Cirugía y Cirujanos
ISSN
2444-0507
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
González-Chávez, Mario Andrés
Villegas-Tovar, Eduardo
González Hermosillo-Cornejo, Daniel
Gutiérrez-Ocampo, Alejandro
López-Rangel, José Alfredo
Athié-Athié, Amado de Jesús
Type
text::journal::journal article
Abstract
Background
Gallbladder cancer ranks fifth among oncological diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract; nevertheless, it is the world's most common malignant tumour of the bile ducts. It is usually diagnosed after cholecystectomy and tends to have bad prognosis. Adenocarcinoma is the main histological finding, although other rare histologic types have been described among the actual literature. Poorly differentiated squamous-cell neuroendocrine gallbladder carcinoma is an extremely rare neoplasm. A poor prognosis is associated with this histological type.
Aim
The aim of this paper is to show that performing a systematic exploration of the entire peritoneal cavity in all laparoscopic surgeries can lead to find completely unexpected changes related to an unidentified disease. Also, a detailed review of our unexpected finding is made: The neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma of gallbladder.
Clinical case
We hereby report the case of a 40-year-old patient with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that underwent emergency laparoscopic surgery, presenting the incidental finding of a small-cell carcinoma of the gallbladder.
Gallbladder cancer ranks fifth among oncological diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract; nevertheless, it is the world's most common malignant tumour of the bile ducts. It is usually diagnosed after cholecystectomy and tends to have bad prognosis. Adenocarcinoma is the main histological finding, although other rare histologic types have been described among the actual literature. Poorly differentiated squamous-cell neuroendocrine gallbladder carcinoma is an extremely rare neoplasm. A poor prognosis is associated with this histological type.
Aim
The aim of this paper is to show that performing a systematic exploration of the entire peritoneal cavity in all laparoscopic surgeries can lead to find completely unexpected changes related to an unidentified disease. Also, a detailed review of our unexpected finding is made: The neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma of gallbladder.
Clinical case
We hereby report the case of a 40-year-old patient with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that underwent emergency laparoscopic surgery, presenting the incidental finding of a small-cell carcinoma of the gallbladder.