Three cases of malacoplakia of the gallbladder.

Malacoplakia is a granulomatous disease with a histiocytic infiltrate containing calcified bodies called Michaelis-Gutmann bodies considered to represent an abnormal response to infection involving defective lysosomes and abnormal microtubular assembly. The disease most frequently involves urinary and genital tracts, but has also been described from most organs. Reports from the gallbladder are extremely rare and as it might simulate specific infection, parasitic infestation as well as malignancy it is of importance for the surgeon and pathologist to be aware of the entity. In this article we present three cases of malacoplakia of the gallbladder, a rare disease in this location.