Gallbladder osteoma in a 66-year-old female; Case report and review of literature

Abstract

IntroductionGallbladder mesenchymal tumours are rare. The more common include fibroma, lipoma or haemangioma. A gallbladder osteoma is very rare indeed there is only one other case reported in medical literature). We report a new case. Presentation of caseA 66-year-old female presented to the emergency department complaining of colicky epigastric pain and generalised abdominal discomfort for 1 month. The pain was scored 5/10 but there were no associated symptoms of fever, nausea or vomiting. Vital signs were normal as were all laboratory parameters. An abdominal ultrasound revealed a thin walled gallbladder with a solitary 3 mm polyp. Motility studies confirmed gallbladder dyskinesia.Laboratory studies were ordered reporting normal findings. Abdominal ultrasound was ordered reporting an image suggesting a gallbladder polyp and gallbladder dyskinesia. Cholecystectomy was done without any incidents and the gallbladder was sent to pathology. Pathology reported mature bone tissue in the stromal gallbladder tissue. Due to the rareness of the presence of mature bone tissue in the gallbladder we decided to report the case for the medical community. DiscussionOsteomas are mesenchymal cell tumors derived from the mesoderm; the gallbladder may be the primary site of numerous types of mesenchymal tumors, although these tumors are common the location is not. ConclusionsWe report only the second case of gallbladder osteoma. These mesenchymal tumours are common but this location is not. This case report will serve to remind readers of both benign osteomas and unusual conditions causing gallbladder disease.