Ectopic or heterotopic pancreas is defined as the presence of pancreatic tissue in an anatomical place not related to the pancreas, being it most frequent locations the stomach and small bowel. Its finding in the gallbladder is exceptional. Since the first case was reported by Otschkin in 1916, about 30 cases have been described in literature. We report the case of a 43 years-old male patient who had an urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, which pathological study showed the existence of chronic cholecystitis with heterotopic pancreatic tissue in the gallbladder wall.
After we review the current literature, surgical extirpation appears to be the treatment of choice due to potential complications, and laparoscopic approach is a feasibily and safe procedure for this pathology up to date.
Surgical resection of unique pancreatic metastases is a safe practice. An increase in the survival rate has been demonstrated after resection of metastases from renal cell carcinoma, although it has not been proved with metastases from other locations. Further trials are needed.
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