RESUMO
INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Agenesis of the gallbladder is an underdiagnosed entity. It can be an asymptomatic pathology, usually diagnosed incidentally as a finding on imaging techniques or in necropsies. There are symptomatic cases presenting as biliary colic too, attributed to cholecystitis or cholangitis, leading to exploratory surgeries. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a 14-year-old boy admitted to the outpatient Pediatric Gastroenterology Department with a history of daily abdominal pain for the past 2 months. Blood and fecal tests were normal. Coeliac disease, inflammatory intestinal diseases and Helicobacter pylori infection were ruled out. An abdominal US was informed of a hypodistensed gallbladder with no other findings. A CT scan was performed, which reported of an absent gallbladder. Upon these findings, a Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) was carried out, confirming the diagnosis of agenesis of the gallbladder. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Its diagnosis still poses a challenge, as an absent gallbladder may not always be apparent by US, with the MRCP being the gold-standard test for examining the biliary tract. The prognosis is usually good, and the treatment of choice consists of antispasmodics when needed. There are few cases reported in literature, for this reason, our article discusses the most important aspects of agenesis of the gallbladder in order to suspect it, request the appropriate tests and saving unnecessary surgical interventions. CONCLUSION: Gallbladder agenesis is a rare entity that can lead to unnecessary diagnostic tests and interventions. The MRCP is the gold-standard test. Despite its benign nature, symptomatic treatment might be required in order to improve the patient's quality of life.
RESUMO
La pancreatitis crónica (PC) es una enfermedad de incidencia creciente en la población pediátrica, aunque desconocida, y conlleva una importante comorbilidad. La clínica inicial suele ser la propia de un episodio de pancreatitis aguda pero la importancia recae en el desarrollo, al cabo de meses o años, de insuficiencia pancreática. Para su diagnóstico será necesario tener un alto índice de sospecha clínica y realizar pruebas de imagen que demuestren cambios propios de la PC. El manejo de esta entidad deberá ser multidisciplinar y consistirá en controlar de forma adecuada el dolor e iniciar tratamiento sustitutivo cuando se constate la presencia de insuficiencia pancreática exocrina y endocrina. El caso que se reporta a continuación es un buen ejemplo de un caso de PC con presencia de insuficiencia exocrina y endocrina. Se documenta el proceso diagnóstico de la PC, en cuanto a pruebas de imagen y pruebas que demuestren la presencia de insuficiencia pancreática. Se exponen también las diferentes pruebas que se realizan para llegar a la etiología del cuadro. Se intenta reflejar el manejo que se debe llevar a cabo en estos pacientes y el seguimiento estricto que requieren.
Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a disease with increasing incidence, though unknown, in the last years in the pediatric population which entails important comorbidities. The initial symptomatology is similar to the clinical scenario of acute pancreatitis, but its importance relies on the development, in months to years, of pancreatic insufficiency. For its diagnosis a high clinical suspicion and typical image findings are necessary. The management of this entity is held by a multidisciplinary team and the main goal is to assure an optimal pain control and start substitutive treatment once the pancreatic insufficiency is diagnosed. The clinical case that follows is a good example of CP with stablished pancreatic exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. It documents the diagnostic process of CP, regarding the imaging tools used and other laboratory test that manifested the pancreatic insufficiency. We expose the different etiologic tests that were performed in order to get to the etiologic diagnosis. It intends to reflect on the management needed for these patients and the strict follow-up that must be done.