Laparoscopic management of a duplicated gallbladder: a case study and anatomic history.

Duplication of the gallbladder is a rare entity. This case highlights a 36-year-old woman who presented to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center after referral from an outside institution with gallstone pancreatitis. Ultrasound, computed tomography scan, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed evidence of a biliary anomaly preoperatively concerning for a duplicated gallbladder or choledochal cyst. Subsequent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and intraoperative cholangiogram confirmed the presence of a duplicated gallbladder. A second intrahepatic gallbladder with connection to the right hepatic duct was identified and the first gallbladder's connection to the common hepatic duct was noted. Both gallbladders contained hundreds of small stones. The patient did well postoperatively and has had no adverse sequelae. A literature review revealed an incidence of 1 in 4000 autopsies with a duplicated gallbladder. Sixty-seven case reports have been published and only 20 cases were managed laparoscopically.