Double Gallbladder with Intrahepatic Location: A Rare Anomaly Managed by Combined Laparoscopic and Open Cholecystectomy

Gallbladder duplication is an uncommon congenital anomaly (1 out of 4,000 autopsies) that poses significant diagnostic and surgical challenges. In the present case, a 70-year-old female presented with right hypochondrial pain, dyspepsia, and nausea for one month. Ultrasound revealed a bifid gallbladder with calculi in one pouch and a normal common bile duct. Intraoperatively, two separate gallbladders were found, one positioned normally and the other intrahepatic. Laparoscopic excision of the first was completed, but conversion to open surgery was required because of the unclear anatomy and the intrahepatic location of the second. Both specimens were confirmed histologically as gallbladders with chronic cholecystitis. Recovery was uneventful, and the patient remained symptom-free at the six-month follow-up. Thus, gallbladder duplication, especially with intrahepatic positioning, can complicate a laparoscopic dissection. Preoperative imaging and intraoperative vigilance are crucial to avoiding bile duct injury.