Traditional herbal medicine therapy of gallbladder ascariasis: a case report

BACKGROUND: Ascariasis is one of the common intestinal infections in developing countries, including China. Migration of Ascaris lumbricoides into the gallbladder is rare, unlike ascariasis of the bile duct and when it does occur, treatment is generally by endoscopic or surgical extraction. CASE PRESENTATION: A 4-year-old Uyghur boy with a history of ascariasis developed intermittent upper abdominal pain for 7 days, was being treated by a local practitioner, and when the pain worsened with yellow sclera for 3 days, he was admitted to our hospital. On physical examination, found out the patient with yellowish skin tone, pale yellow fur on tongue, mild yellow staining of the sclera and tenderness in epigastrium. Laboratory data plus liver function test showed damage of liver function. Abdominal Ultrasonography (USG) and Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) showed a long, linear, echogenic structure in the gallbladder neck near to the common bile duct. Once the ascariasis diagnosis was established, he was given conservative treatment of magnesium sulfate with herbal medicine. In 4 days, the patient discharged Ascaris through the stool. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative treatment of magnesium sulfate with Uyghur medicine treatment according to syndrome differentiation is proven to have curative effect.