The incidental finding of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis: a report of 10 cases

There is insufficient clinical knowledge about xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) due to biased reporting. This study aims to investigate the incidence of XGC and evaluate the clinical outcome regarding operative time, rate of conversion and intraoperative or postoperative complications. We included 1141 patients who underwent surgery for gallbladder disease between January 2019 and December 2021. Of 1141 patients who underwent cholecystectomy, XGC was seen in 10 (0.87%). The average age is 47 (24–81 years old) with a male to female ratio of 3:2. Biliary pancreatitis and obstructive jaundice are seen in two patients who did ERCP and stenting before surgery. One patient presented with a 4 cm necrotizing soft-tissue granuloma. The BMI was high, with class I obesity in five patients. Symptoms last from 1 to 12 weeks. One patient was only diagnosed preoperatively as XGC. Four out of 10 (40%) required more than 72 h of hospitalization. All patients underwent elective sitting surgery, with eight successfully managed by laparoscopy and one converted to open. The average operative time was 90 min (43–193 min), and a postoperative drain was inserted in four patients. The median follow-up is after 24 months (11–30 months), with no postoperative collection, bleeding, complication or readmission. XGC is a rare benign entity requiring no further action upon incidental discovery. Surgical resection is the cornerstone of management, with the laparoscopic approach considered feasible and safe. Four out of 10 patients might need more than 3 days of hospitalization. In the presence of mass, the frozen section can help guide the management.