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Carcinoma detected at histological examination of the gallbladder is defined as incidental. It is a fairly rare event, but the increase in the number of cholecystectomies performed has led to a rise in detection of incidental gallbladder carcinoma. Histologically, in most cases, these are pT1 and pT2 carcinomas. Up until the 'nineties it was believed that these carcinomas could be adequately treated by simple cholecystectomy, whereas today the treatment of choice entails a second operation. This study constitutes a review of 20 years' experience. The database consists of 3012 cholecystectomies. Survival data are calculated in relation to the evolution of surgical treatment, thus making it possible to correlate tumour staging, patient survival and surgical therapy. The incidence of IGC was about 0.66% (20 cases). The survival rates of patients operated on by extended cholecystectomy, compared with those achieved previously with simple cholecystectomy, have risen from 92% to 100% at 1 year and from 26% to 66% at 5 years, respectively. The contributions made by literature reports since the 'nineties have prompted hepatobiliary surgeons to modify their attitudes towards incidental gallbladder carcinoma. Detection of previously unrecognised microinfiltrations of the serosa and of neoplastic involvement of distant lymph-node stations has led to the introduction of the concept of extended cholecystectomy. Comparison between our historical survival curve of patients treated with simple cholecystectomy and the distinctly better curve of those treated with a radical second operation accounts for the evolution of surgical treatment over the past two decades.