Saima Akram Butt, Tazeen Mustansar Raja, Naseem Ahmed Shaikh.
Spectrum of Gall Bladder Diseases Diagnosed at Dow Diagnostic Reference and Research Laboratory, Dow University of Health Sciences.
Med Forum Jan ;2(5):2-5.

Background: Gallbladder is one of the most regularly encountered specimens in a pathology laboratory. A varied spectrum of diseases affects the biliary system that often shows similar clinical signs as well as symptoms. The objective of this study was to define the profile of gallbladder diseases in our area, and to establish potential correlations between different histopathologic features that were observed. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of histopathology In the Dow Diagnostic Reference and Research laboratory (DDRRL) from January 2011 to December 2011. Materials and Methods: All cholecystectomies processed in Department of histopathology In the Dow Diagnostic Reference and Research laboratory (DDRRL), were reviewed. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis using SPSS version 16.0. Results: Out of the total 824 patients, 684 patients were women (83%), whereas 140 (17%) were men, hence a female preponderance of the gall bladder diseases is seen. The mean age of the patients was 42.49±13.14 with an age range of 7-87. The bulk of these GBs were removed for symptoms related to chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Fourteen patients had primary gall bladder cancer (1.6%) whereas 810 patients were detected as having benign forms of gall bladder diseases. Conclusion: Diseases of the gall bladder, time and again present with similar clinical signs as well as symptoms and a surgical pathologist should be very vigilant especially of precancerous lesions. With our study, we also concluded that elderly females with a longstanding history of gallstone disease should go through elective surgery even if there are no symptoms present.

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