Seeding from early stage gallbladder carcinoma after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

In the last years laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the "gold standard therapy" in the treatment of symptomatic cholelitiasis, but it is necessary to keep into account some problems and risks that can arise from laparoscopic technique. One of these risks is represented surely by the disregarding of a gallbladder carcinoma. The authors report a case of peritoneal seeding of an unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The first histologic diagnosis was chronic ulcerous cholecystitis with adenomiosis but 2 months later the metastasis developed at the umbilical port site, at another port site and to the right lobe of the liver. Another histological sampling of the gallbladder specimen was performed and this time a little intra mucous gallbladder adenocarcinoma was found (T1 stage). While the most part of literature data concern advanced stage of the disease at the time of operation (T2, T3) only few reports regard early stage neoplasm. Therefore this risk is present not only in advanced stages of gallbladder carcinoma but even in cases of early stage cancers. After a laparoscopic cholecystectomy all specimen should be opened and inspected. If there is a gallbladder wall irregularity and if there was a bile spillage it is advisable to perform a preoperative histologic examination.