Appearance of peritoneal carcinomatosis after acute gallstone pancreatitis: A surgical Trompe L’oeil

The gallbladder histology returned as chronic cholecystitis without evidence of malignancy, but an outpatient Computed Tomography (CT) was performed to evaluate for primary or secondary peritoneal malignancy. The CT showed peripancreatic fluid collections consistent with sequela of pancreatitis and innumerable nodules in the peritoneal cavity and retroperitoneum (Fig. 1), appearing confluent and mass-like in some regions. Triglycerides released from the adipose cells are hydrolyzed, producing free fatty acids that combine with serum calcium to precipitate as calcium soaps [1].