SPONTANEOUS PERFORATION OF THE GALL BLADDER: A CASE REPORT

Gall bladder perforation is a rare but life-threatening complication of acute cholecystitis.1 Two per cent of patients undergoing cholecystectomy are found to have perforation of the gall bladder. It occurs in 10% of patients who are being treated conservatively.2 Most studies in which the patients are generally aged 60 or more. Studies reported a mortality rate of 42%, others have reported mortality to be between 12 and 16%.3,4,5 Due to the high mortality that can be caused by a delay in the correct diagnosis and following adequate surgical treatment, gallbladder perforation represents a special diagnostic and surgical challenge.6 Most cases can only be diagnosed during surgery7,8,9. We report one such case which was diagnosed as gall bladder perforation.