Spontaneous Acalculous Gallbladder Perforation in an Adolescent Male: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Though a rare event, gallbladder perforation (GBP) can occur in children and adolescents in the absence of pre-existing cholelithiasis. Moreover, type 1 perforation is seldom found in this cohort. Vague clinical presentation and inconclusive routine investigations can often result in delayed diagnosis. Computed tomography (CT) and intraoperative diagnosis should be utilized to timely diagnose and prevent fatal outcomes. Here, we present a rare case of type 1 GBP in an otherwise healthy 15-year-old boy with no known underlying etiology. Our purpose is to emphasize that although rare, a high clinical suspicion of GBP should be kept in mind even when dealing with acute abdomen in a pediatric population for preventing associated mortality. Copyright © 2021, Ajmal et al.