Abstract
RATIONALE: Porcelain gallbladder (PG) is an academic term to define a special as well as rare condition of some gallbladder diseases. So far, some issues still remain a discussion, such as etiopathogenesis, clinical features, correlation with gallbladder cancer, and surgical indication. We described a typical PG case, and reviewed some English literature as well as relevant cases from our institutions, aiming to further illustrate some issues mentioned above. PATIENT CONCERNS: Herein, we describe a 54-year-old obesity woman with hypertension and prediabetes who presented with recurrent abdominal pain and indigestion for 35 years, with diagnosis of chronic cholelithiasis. DIAGNOSES: She insisted on nonsurgical management for many years until a ring, high-dense shadow classically associated with PG, was found on computed tomography scan in the latest visit of the Emergency Department. INTERVENTIONS: Therefore, she underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. OUTCOMES: The patient recovered uneventfluly after surgery, and the post oprative pathology confirmed a PG without any cancer cells under microscopy. After a month of follow-up, she was very satisfied with the clinical outcomes, with no surgery-related complications. LESSONS: PG has a potential though low risk of gallbladder cancerization. If patients' condition permit, minimally invasive cholecystectomy is still a prioritized choice due to its safety and reliability as well.