Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Original Article

Ultrastructural Changes in Human Gallbladder Epithelium in Acalculous and Calculous Cholecystitis.: Sung Chul Lim, Chae Hong Suh; Korean J Pathol. 1995;29(6):714-726.

Abstract PDF: Cholelithiasis is defined as the presence of stones within the lumen of the gallbladder or in the extrahepatic biliary tree. Cholecystitis, secondary to gallstones, is a common surgical disorder in Korea. Detailed microscopic descriptions, particularly the ultrastructural changes, of these diseases were not available. The goal of this study was to identify the ultrastructural alterations of gallbladder epithelium in cholecystitis with and without a stone, according to the degree of severity of inflammation, and the nature of the stone. The gallbladders of the control group, and cholecystitis cases without stone and with stone were fixed and examined with routine stain, special stain, immunohistochemical stain and trans-mission electron microscopy. The number and the volume density of the mucin containing secretary granules were not significantly increased in the calculous cholecystitis cases compared with those of the acalculous cholecystitis cases. Major findings were that the calculous cholecystitis cases showed a markedly reduced total lysosome area and volume density of the lysosome compared with those of the acalculous chole-cystitis cases. The differences between the mucin secretary granules and lysosomes, according to the degree of severity of cholecystitis and the natures of gallstones, were statistically not significant.

Case Report

Xanthogranulomatous Cholecystitis: 3 cases report.: Jae Hoon Park, Youn Wha Kim, Yong Koo Park, Ju Hie Lee, Moon Ho Yang; Korean J Pathol. 1991;25(1):41-44.

Abstract PDF: Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis is a rare form of inflammatory disease of the gall bladder and was first described in 1970 by Christensen and Ishak as fibroxanthogranulomatous inflammation of the gall bladder. Recently authors experienced three cases of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis, two of which were erroneously diagnosed as malignant tumor in preoperative clinical and radiological examinations. Grossly, the gallbladders were enlarged and the walls were thickened with yellowish granular necrotic areas ranging from a few millimeters to 1.0 cm in diameter. Microscopically, all of three cases showed diffuse infiltration of the foamy histiocytes containing bile pigments and mononuclear leukocytes associated with fibroblastic proliferation and foreign body reactions. The pathogenesis of the xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis is uncertain, but opinion favours an inflammatory response to extravasated bile probably, from ruptured Rokitanky-Aschoff sinuses. Three cases of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis with brief review of literature are presented.

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