Emphysematous Cholecystitis

Abstract

Emphysematous cholecystitis is a relatively rare variant of acute cholecystitis with infection by gas-producing organisms. Diagnosis involves the demonstration of gas within the lumen or wall of the gallbladder by ultrasound or CT scan. In contrast to acute cholecystitis, emphysematous cholecystitis occurs more commonly in elderly and diabetic patients, and is frequently associated with perforation and death. We report here a case of a 75-year old man who developed emphysematous cholecystitis.