Gallbladder Adenomyomatosis

Gallbladder adenomyomatosis is a noncancerous condition where the inner lining of your gallbladder wall is thicker than usual. Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ under your liver. It stores bile that helps you digest food.

In gallbladder adenomyomatosis (uh-dee-now-mai-uh-muh-TOW-sis), you have tiny pouches in your gallbladder’s inner lining. The pouches, known as Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses, contain bile or cholesterol crystals. When the pouches fill up, parts of the inner wall of your gallbladder become thick. The pouches create a distinctive pattern visible on imaging tests, which looks like a comet tail.

The condition may not cause symptoms. You may learn you have this condition if you have imaging tests for another reason.

Types of gallbladder adenomyomatosis

The condition types are:

• Fundal: The thickened section is in the large end (fundus) of your gallbladder.
• Segmental: The top and bottom sections of your gallbladder wall are thicker than usual. The change makes the inside of your gallbladder look like an hourglass.
• Diffuse: There are thickened sections and cysts throughout your gallbladder.

Symptoms of gallbladder adenomyomatosis

The condition may not cause symptoms. When it does, symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain in the center or upper right section of your belly
• Indigestion after you eat fatty food
• Nausea and vomiting

Gallbladder adenomyomatosis causes

Experts don’t know the exact cause. One theory links the condition to the way your gallbladder makes and stores bile. Another theory is that chronic inflammation may lead to the condition.

Having this condition increases your risk of gallstones or gallbladder inflammation.

How doctors diagnose gallbladder adenomyomatosis

A healthcare provider will do a physical exam. They’ll ask if you notice changes in your body, like belly pain that comes and goes. They’ll do the following imaging tests:

• Abdominal ultrasound
• CT scan
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan

A radiologist will look for Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses in your gallbladder wall.

How is this condition treated?

Gallbladder adenomyomatosis isn’t a serious issue. It may go away on its own. You may not need treatment unless symptoms continue or get worse. In that case, a surgeon may remove your gallbladder. Most surgeons do laparoscopic surgery. This is minimally invasive surgery. Your surgeon makes several small cuts (incisions). They use small tools to remove your gallbladder. It takes about two weeks to recover from laparoscopic gallbladder surgery.

When should I seek care?

Talk to a healthcare provider if you have nausea and vomiting or pain in your upper right belly. Many issues cause these symptoms. Some are more serious than others. In general, you should contact a provider if you have gut issues that last more than two weeks.

When should I seek care after gallbladder surgery?

Contact your surgeon if you have surgical wound infection symptoms, like:

• Fever higher 101 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius
• Discharge from the cut (incision) that’s creamy or yellow and smells bad
• Pain when you touch the incision

You should also contact them if you have:

• Dark-colored pee or poop
• Pain that doesn’t get better after taking medication that your provider recommends or prescribes
• Nausea and vomiting
• Yellowish tint to your skin and the whites of your eyes

What can I expect if I have gallbladder adenomyomatosis?

This condition isn’t serious. You may not need treatment unless symptoms — like indigestion or nausea and vomiting — get worse. In that case, symptoms go away after gallbladder surgery.