Anatomic and Histologic Examination of a Grossly Enlarged Gallbladder Fused to the Inferior Surface of the Liver.

The liver is an important organ located on the right side of the abdomen, predominantly responsible for controlling mechanisms related to metabolism, immunity, digestion, detoxification, and coagulation. The gallbladder is an organ present in the gallbladder fossa on the inferior surface of the liver. The main function of the gallbladder is to store and concentrate bile, aiding in fat digestion. In this article, we present a case report of an anomalous gallbladder discovered during cadaveric dissection. The gallbladder appeared to be fused to the inferior surface of the liver and was grossly enlarged. Furthermore, four diaphragmatic grooves were present on the superior surface of the liver. Histologic investigation revealed an acutely inflamed gallbladder wall at the point of fusion, and luminal contents composed mainly of fibrin and degraded blood products. This anatomy could potentially have clinical implications, such as in symptoms of acute and chronic inflammation and right upper quadrant pain. Furthermore, this article adds to the literature a representation of the gallbladder and would be useful in medical education.

Bilateral Gastrocnemius Tertius Muscles: Cadaveric Findings of a Rare Variant.

The posterior compartment of the leg typically contains three muscles in the superficial flexor group: the gastrocnemius, plantaris, and soleus. The gastrocnemius has medial and lateral heads (MH and LH) that originate from the medial and lateral condyles of the femur, respectively. However, a third head (TH) of the gastrocnemius, is a rare accessory muscle bundle of the gastrocnemius muscle that covers the surface of the popliteal fossa. Bilateral THs of gastrocnemius were identified in a 67-year-old male during a routine educational cadaveric dissection. Both gastrocnemius TH muscles consisted of a superficial belly with distinct neurovasculature heads and originated from the lateral condyle of the femur and inserted into the Achilles tendon. To our knowledge, the co-existence of bilateral gastrocnemius TH muscles has only been reported once. The male donor was found to exhibit an anatomical anomaly and could be clinically underdiagnosed due to its clinically silent nature and the lack of reports. Insight into the potential implications of bilateral and unilateral gastrocnemius TH and identification during clinical evaluation offers a path for future research to better identify and manage cases of gastrocnemius TH and its effects.