Patho-epidemiology of gallbladder lesions; a 5-year study at dow medical college, karachi

Background: Gallbladder and bile duct diseases are relatively common, with cholelithiasis on the top of the list, affecting 10–15 % of the world population. A wide variety of these diseases are seen as a reason for admission to surgical wards.
Objective: The intention of this study is to audit the range of the histopathological spectrum detected in gallbladder specimens from a tertiary care hospital of Karachi and, particularly, to determine the prevalence of incidental gallbladder malignancy in our population.
Methods: This retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study design used recorded data of all the gall bladder histopathological samples received in the Department of Pathology. We used the data obtained over a period of five years - 1st January 2014 to 31st December 2018 - to update the trend of gallbladder pathologies in our local population.
Results: Amongst the 948 specimens included in the study, mean age was 39.01 years (range 10-89 years), 834 (87.8%) were females and 114 (12.0%) were males. Regarding the reason for the presentation, the most common presenting complaint reported was Right hypochondrial pain 752 (79.3%), followed by epigastric pain 307 (32.4%), vomiting 242 (25.50%), and nausea 190 (20.0%). Cholecystitis was the most commonly encountered diagnostic entity 944 (99.58%) ; with the chronic variety being the most frequently found , followed by cholelithiasis 642 (67.72%), cholesterolosis 30 (3.16%), follicular cholecystitis 9 (0.95%), adenocarcinoma 4 (0.42%) and xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis 3 (0.32%)
Conclusion: There is no concept of social security and health insurance among the masses, largely in part due to lack of awareness, lack of education, and lack of funds to buy insurance in the first place. As a result of a lack of screening programs in our country, Gall bladder lesions and carcinoma is fairly underreported. We suggest the development of nation-wide screening programs.