Papillary hyperplasia and cholesterolosis of the gallbladder.

Papillary hyperplasia of the gallbladder was found in 376 patients (28.4%) and cholesterolosis in 206 (15.6%) of 1323 cholecystectomies. An association between these pathological alterations was found (p < 0.001). Papillary hyperplasia was interpreted as a morphological adaptation of the mucosa to permit a greater absorption of cholesterol from the gallbladder lumen to the blood capillaries. By means of this peculiar hyperplasia the surface of interchange increases and, therefore, absorption would be facilitated. It is suggested that papillary hyperplasia could be induced by the increase of bile pressure in the extrahepatic bile ducts and/or by the concentration of bile cholesterol.