Endoscopic management of limy bile syndrome presenting with obstructive jaundice

Limy bile syndrome is a rare entity in which there is an excessive precipitation of calcium salts, mainly calcium carbonate in the gallbladder (GB) and to a rare extent in the common bile duct (CBD), making it radiopaque in plain radiographs. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe and effective in patients with limy bile confined to the GB. However, for patients with an extension to the CBD, bile duct exploration with a T-tube placement, endoscopic naso-billiary drainage or endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) may be warranted. We report a case of limy bile syndrome associated with obstructive jaundice in a young female patient. She was managed successfully with EST followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Limy bile syndrome presenting as acute acalculous cholecystitis

A 35-year-old woman presented to the surgical clinic complaining of right hypochondrial pain for 4 days. Abdominal examination revealed tenderness on deep palpation in the right hypochonrdium, with no palpable organs or masses. The patient had repeated attacks of the same pain that mandated repeated admissions to the emergency hospital and treated conservatively. The white blood cell count was 13 000 cells/μL. Ultrasound examination of the abdomen showed thick-walled gall bladder, thick bile, with no visible stones and acalculous cholecystitis was the diagnosis. Decision done for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. After removal of the gall bladder and opening the bladder, a thick milky contents was found to fill the gall bladder with no stones. The diagnosis of limy bile syndrome then done. Histopathological examination of the gall bladder showed features of chronic cholecystitis with no malignancy. The patient discharged on the third postoperative day with no complications.