Analysis of Histology of Post-Cholecystectomy Gallbladder Specimens at Mankweng Hospital

Background: Gallbladder disease is less common in black South Africans. Most common gallbladder pathologies are benign. The mainstay surgical treatment of gall bladder disease is cholecystectomy, with the laparoscopic approach being the gold standard. All post-cholecystectomy gallbladder specimens (GBS) are sent for histopathology investigation to detect cancer as standard practice at Mankweng Academic Hospital. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the histopathologic pattern of gallbladder specimens in patients who underwent elective or emergency cholecystectomies at Mankweng Hospital from July 2021 to June 2024 and to assess the incidence of gallbladder malignancy. Method: This is a retrospective descriptive study of the histopathologic pattern of gallbladder specimens in patients who underwent cholecystectomies in Mankweng Hospital for 3 years from 2021 to 2024. Result: A total of 51 patients were included in the study. 45 females and 6 males. Female-to-male ratio = 7:1. Mean age for females 42 (21–87) and the mean age for males 52 (29–70). Mild chronic cholecystitis: 16; Moderate chronic cholecystitis: 27; Severe chronic active cholecystitis: 2; Acute cholecystitis: 2; Acute on chronic cholecystitis: 1, and others 3. Conclusions: The most common histology profiles of cholecystectomy specimens in Mankweng Hospital were chronic cholecystitis of different severity, and no incidental gallbladder carcinoma was found. The number of cholecystectomies was not many; thus, routine histology should be considered for all cholecystectomy specimens at this hospital.