Cavernous Hemangioma of the Gallbladder Masquerading as a Carcinoma

Abstract

Cavernous hemangioma arising from the gallbladder is extremely rare. Here, we report a cavernous hemangioma of the gallbladder masquerading as a carcinoma. A 75-year-old man was referred to our institution for a follow-up study after gastrectomy. Abdominal computed tomography revealed that the gallbladder was filled with a low-density mass with calcification of the wall. The patient underwent extended cholecystectomy. Histologically, the tumor consisted of vascular endothelial cellular elements and hematomas. The postoperative course was uneventful without complications. Presently, only 7 cases of cavernous hemangioma of the gallbladder have been previously reported. This case serves as an important reminder to consider benign tumors including cavernous hemangioma when investigating all possible causes of a gallbladder tumor.

Keywords

• Cavernous hemangioma
• Gallbladder
• Gallbladder tumor