XANTHOGRANULOMATOUS CHOLECYSTITIS

Clinical, radiological and pathological findings in 31 patients with x anthogranulomatous cholecystitis have been reviewed. The spectrum of p resentation was similar to that of cholelithiasis but fewer patients h ad biliary colic (17 per cent) and there were more complications (32 p er cent). Four patients had a biliary fistula and four a perforated ga llbladder with abscess formation. Patients characteristically had gall stones. Appearances often mimicked carcinoma of the gallbladder at ult rasonography and/or laparotomy, with xanthogranulomatous tissue extend ing to adjacent structures. Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis and carc inoma of the gallbladder coexisted in three patients. The possibility should be considered that an 'inoperable tumour' of the gallbladder ma y in fact be xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis, a benign condition tha t frozen-section biopsy may confirm.