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ACUTE TORSION OF THE GALL BLADDER IN THE AGED: A RE‐EMPHASIS ON CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS
Author(s) -
LAU W. Y.,
FAN S. T.,
WONG S. H.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.111
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 0004-8682
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1982.tb06036.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gall , torsion (gastropod) , general surgery , emphasis (telecommunications) , surgery , ecology , biology , electrical engineering , engineering
Three cases of torsion of the gall bladder in the aged are presented. From a review of the clinical features of these cases and the cases reported in the literature, a definite clinical pattern emerged. The clinical features can be grouped into three triads: a triad of the patient's characteristics which consists of a thin, old patient with chronic chest disease or a deformed spine; a triad of symptoms which consists of typical abdominal pain, early onset of vomiting and a short history; and a triad of physical signs which consists of an abdominal mass, a lack of toxaemia or jaundice and a discrepancy in the pulse and temperature. If most, if not all, of these features are present, torsion of the gall bladder should be presented. We re‐emphasize that a clinical suspicion or diagnosis of torsion of the gall bladder is possible. The treatment is early cholecystectomy.