Granular Cell Tumor of the Common Bile Duct: A Case Report of a Rare Anatomical Entity and Brief Review of the Literature

Tumors of the biliary tree are usually malignant, with benign tumors of the biliary tree occurring rarely. A granular cell tumor (GCT) of the biliary tree is an extremely rare condition that is always benign, and effectively treated via surgery. A 30-year-old Caucasian woman presented with a 3-month history of increasing pruritus and jaundice. The physical examination revealed mild abdominal pain in the left hypochondrium and the radiological examination revealed excessive dilation of the endohepatic and extrahepatic biliary trees, caused by an obstruction at the level of the distal common bile duct (CBD) and an ovoid, enhanced, solid mass located between the CBD, head of the pancreas, and second part of the duodenum. The patient underwent cholecystectomy and excision of the tumor and reconstruction was conducted via a Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. The microscopic examination and the immunohistochemical examination set the diagnosis of a GCT of the CBD. Thus far, only 82 cases of GCTs of the biliary tree have ever been reported in the English literature. Here we report an additional case of a GCT in the extrahepatic biliary tree (located at the CBD), and the first case ever reported in Greece. A GCT of the biliary tree is a rare condition that all physicians should be aware of when treating a patient with obstructive jaundice, and presenting with a tumor in the extrahepatic biliary tree. J Med Cases. 2017;8(4):132-136 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc2783w