ENTEROSPASM SIMULATING GALLBLADDER DISEASE

Abstract

Medical literature is full of reports and discussions on the frequency of missed diagnoses of cholelithiasis and cholecystitis. It is only lately that we have learned to recognize gallbladder affections long before the typical syndrome has developed, and every one is eager to report cases that remained unrecognized for a number of years. It is fruitless, however, to search the literature for reported instances in which the diagnosis of gallbladder disease was made, though none existed. This, perhaps, can be explained by the fact that, unless the case comes to the operating table or to necropsy, it is very difficult to disprove that a gallbladder condition was really present. It used to be a matter of considerable amazement to us to find many more cases of gallstones and definitely pathologic gallbladders in the dissecting room and at necropsy than was ever suspected during life. Today, the frequency of missed diagnoses