Term Infant with Gallbladder Stone: a Case Report

Fetal gallbladder stone is a rare phenomenon, which is observed by chance during third trimester ultrasonography and does not cause significant clinical symptoms. Even though the etiology of stones found in the fetal period are yet unknown; apnea of prematurity, sepsis, parenteral nutrition, motile diseases, blood group incompatibilities, metabolic diseases and dehydration of newborns are among the causes of formation of gallstones in pediatric age groups. We present a case where the mother had used high dose flaxseed oil capsules, which are widely used as sources of omega-3 and omega-6 during pregnancy. Antenatal ultrasonography determined an echogenic focus beneath the liver position of the fetus. This was found to be gallbladder mud and stone with abdominal ultrasonography on the 2nd day of life. This term (38 weeks and 5 days, 3300 g), appropriate for gestational age, male infant was born to a 33-year-old mother who used linseed (flaxseed) oil capsules 2-3 times (2000-3000 mg) a day during pregnancy for a period of 7 months. During antenatal period, when the fetus had gestanional age of 36 weeks; a hyperechogenic focus was showed beneath the liver position of the fetus. After birth, patient was evaluated and abdominal ultrasonography revealed “gallbladder mud and stone”(Fig .1). Biochemical parameters including liver, function test, total cholesterol and triglycerides were in normal range but total bilirubin and direct bilirubin were 6 mg/dl and 0.6 Fig. 1: Hyperechogenic foci beneath the liver