[Prenatal diagnosis of gallbladder abnormalities: a review].

OBJECTIVES

Our objective was to review the possible consequences and management possibilities of fetal gallbladder abnormalities.

MEANS AND

METHODS

A search through publications was conducted using the Pubmed database.

RESULT: The majority of fetal gallbladder abnormalities are benign (absence, malformation, cholelithiasis, sludge...). When the absence of gallbladder is isolated, biliary tract atresia, that is a rare but severe disease, must be evoked.

CONCLUSION

An extensive morphological analysis of the fetus is required in cases with gallbladder abnormalities. An amniocentesis for caryotype analysis must be proposed when an absent gallbladder is associated with other fetal abnormalities and in all cases of absent gallbladder for digestive enzymes evaluation to rule out a biliary atresia.