Cholecystitis

Prevention

Because gallstones cause cholecystitis, you may be able to avoid cholecystitis by controlling the risk factors that can lead to the formation of gallstones. These include watching your weight and avoiding a high-fat diet.

Treatment

Acute cholecystitis requires hospitalization. You need antibiotics given intravenously (into a vein) to treat infection, and medications to control symptoms of nausea and abdominal pain. Once your pain lessens or goes away, there are no signs of infection, and you are able to drink and eat, you will be able to go home to continue your recovery.

Twenty-five percent of people who have acute cholecystitis develop another episode within one year; 60% have another episode within six years. For this reason, most doctors recommend that people with cholecystitis have the gallbladder removed surgically (cholecystectomy). Sometimes surgery is scheduled after a person has been discharged from the hospital and has recovered fully. In some cases, your surgeon may decide to do the cholecystectomy before you leave the hospital.

Chronic cholecystitis requires the gallbladder to be removed surgically.