Introduction: Gallbladder hydrops is an increase in the volume of the gallbladder without any inflammatory sign, bacterial infection or the presence of any abnormalities of the biliary ducts or of the gallbladder.
Case presentation: A 52-year-old man presented at the Department of Internal Medicine complaining of moderate intensity pain in the right upper quadrant, low fever, fatigue, general weakness, symptoms stemming from an excessive intake of food (a meal abundant in animal proteins, fats, and alcohol) which appeared following a 6-week period of food restriction. On examination, the patient presented a globular abdomen, sensitive to deep palpation in the right upper quadrant, the liver and spleen being impalpable. Blood tests performed on admission showed liver-specific pathological changes. Abdominal ultrasound revealed hepatomegaly with homogeneous echostructure, slightly increased echogenicity with rear attenuation, with no focal images, intrahepatic biliary duct dilatation, or dilated suprahepatic veins. The gallbladder looked dropsical, with slender walls, with images of hyperechoic infundibular calculi with a posterior shadow cone, the largest having 14 mm. The portal vein and bile duct were normal in appearance.
Conclusions: Gallbladder hydrops is a disorder commonly seen in children. Its occurrence in adults is uncommon, moreover since it occurs simultaneously with an episode of acute toxic hepatitis. Surgery for this patient was possible only after normalization of liver function tests, on admission there being no subjective complaints of marked intensity that required immediate surgery.
