Spontaneous perforation of the gallbladder from cholecystitis with acute appendicitis in pregnancy. A case report.

BACKGROUND

Spontaneous perforation of the gallbladder is an uncommon and serious complication of cholecystitis.

CASE: A 36-year-old multipara suffered a spontaneous rupture of the gallbladder from acute cholecystitis at 10 weeks' gestation. This caused bile peritonitis from Salmonella paratyphi. In addition, she had simultaneous acute appendicitis, which was confirmed histologically. After cholecystectomy, appendectomy and antibiotic therapy, her pregnancy progressed uneventfully to term delivery.

CONCLUSION

This was the second patient with spontaneous rupture of the gallbladder during pregnancy cared for at Women's Hospital of the Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center in a six-year period.