Acute cholecystitis associated with Ascaris lumbricoides

Abstract

An unusual case attended at Ciego’s provincial Hospital “Antonio Luaces”, Cuba, is described. A male patient, 44 years old, complaining of severe pain of colic type, at epigastrium, with irradiation to both flanks and to the back, accompanied with fever and vomits. On physical examination he presented: slight icteric mucosa, fever (38oC), tachycardia (90 bpm), slightly distended abdomen, normal abdominal sounds, and reaction of defence on the superior abdomen whose percussion was painful. Abdominal ultrasonography showed cholecystitis and an image of Ascaris lumbricoides inside the gallbladder. The patient underwent surgery with cholecystectomy when the presence of the parasite was confirmed inside the gallbladder.