Xanthogranulomatous Cholecystitis

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Abstract
Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis exists in asmall but significant proportion of routinecholecystectomy specimens. A few recent reports haveshown a possible association of this disease withcarcinoma of the gallbladder. All cholecystectomizedspecimens were prospectively evaluated over a period oftwo and half years in a single surgical unit to examinethe incidence of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis and its association, if any, with carcinoma ofthe gallbladder in an area that is prone to gallbladderdiseases. A total of 460 cholecystectomies wereperformed for various gallbladder diseases. Histological confirmation revealed chronic cholecystitis in311 (67.6%) cases, carcinoma of the gallbladder in 62(13.5%), acute cholecystitis in 29 (6.3%),xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis in 41 (8.9%), andxanthogranuloma and carcinoma of the gallbladder in one case(0.2%) only. Almost all cases were suspected to havechronic cholecystitis on clinical and ultrasonographicfeatures. Two specimens on gross examination showed mass lesions, and hence were suspected to becarcinoma of the gallbladder. Subsequent frozen sectionand histopathology demonstrated xanthogranulomatouscholecystitis. Only one case of xanthogranuloma was found to be associated with carcinoma of thegallbladder but no firm association could be establishedbetween xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis and carcinomaof the gallbladder.