Eosinophilic cholecystitis, a rare case report with a review of the literature

Abstract

The clinical presentation of eosinophilic cholecystitis (EC) is similar to that of typical cholecystitis, and its common symptoms are right upper quadrant (RUQ) tenderness and Murphy’s sign. In the literature, some reported cases have been associated with the hyper-eosinophilic syndrome(HES), infections, drugs, and parasitosis; however, its etiology has often been unknown. We report a 32-year-old woman presented with two-day RUQ pains and radiation to the right shoulder. A clinical picture of severe acute cholecystitis was recorded, and the patient underwent open cholecystectomy. Microscopically, we observed an edematous wall with occasional acute and chronic inflammatory cells and predominantly eosinophils. Due to peripheral eosinophilia, we recommended the patient to be examined for the hyper-eosinophilic syndrome, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, and parasitosis. In follow up, parasitic gastroenteritis was diagnosed, and the patent underwent proper treatment. Since the EC signs are similar to those of typical cholecystitis, it should not be considered a separate entity. The significance of the EC diagnosis is that it can be associated with other diseases, and this should be considered when it is diagnosed.

Keywords

• eosinophilic cholecystitis
• gallbladder disease
• cholecystectomy