Dieulafoy's lesion of the gallbladder as a cause of hemobilia with hemoperitoneum

Dieulafoy's lesion is an uncommon vascular anomaly causing massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage, characterized by bleeding from an arteriole that protrudes through a tiny mucosal defect. Although Dieulafoy's lesion was initially described in the stomach and upper gastrointestinal tract, cases have also been reported in the colon, rectum and anal canal. We report the first case of Dieulafoy's lesion in the gallbladder, which presented as massive peritoneal bleeding. We describe the clinical and pathological characteristics of this unusual entity, as well as the approach to its diagnosis and treatment. (C) 2011 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.