Acute cholecystitis (Gallstones)

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Digestive system

Cholecystitis, CT scan

Cholecystitis, cholangiogram

Cholecystolithiasis

Gallstones, cholangiogram

Digestive system organs

Gallbladder removal - series

Acute cholecystitis (Gallstones)

Alternative Names:

Cholecystitis - acute; Gallstones - acute cholecyctitis
Treatment:

Although cholecystitis may clear up on its own, surgery to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) is usually needed when inflammation persists or recurs. This operation is performed as soon as possible after the onset of cholecystitis, unless the patient is very ill, or if the inflammation is thought to have been present for many days.

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Occasionally, in very ill patients, a tube may be placed through the skin to drain the gallbladder until the patient recovers from the acute illness and is fit to undergo surgery.

Cholecystectomy is usually performed using a laparoscope. In this technique, small (1 cm) incisions are made in the abdomen, and instruments and a fiberoptic camera are passed through.

The operation is performed using these small instruments while the surgeon watches the image on a video monitor. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy results in less pain and shorter hospitalization times than an open operation. If there is a significant amount of inflammation, difficulty defining the anatomy, or if significant bleeding occurs, a laparoscopic operation may be converted to an open operation, performed through a larger incision.

Emergency surgery may be necessary if gangrene (tissue death), perforation, pancreatitis, or inflammation of the common bile duct occurs.

Nonsurgical treatment consists of pain control, antibiotics to eliminate the infection, and a low-fat diet when food is tolerated after the acute attack.

Expectations (prognosis):

When treated with a cholecystectomy procedure, the outlook is usually very good.

Complications:

Empyema (pus in the gallbladder)
Peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the abdomen)
Gangrene (tissue death) of the gallbladder
Injury to the bile ducts draining the liver (a rare complication of cholecystectomy)

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if severe abdominal pain persists.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms of cholecystitis recur after an acute episode.