Cholecystitis
Posted on 12/27/2011
Acute cholecystitis is inflammation (swelling) of the gallbladder. It is usually caused by a gallstone that becomes trapped in one of the ducts or openings of the gallbladder.
Gallstones are one of the most common causes of emergency hospital admission for people with abdominal pain. About 8% of the adult population has gallstones and have an operation to remove their gallbladder.
The most common symptoms of acute cholecystitis are:
· a severe, sharp and constant pain in the upper right abdomen, which may be worse when breathing deeply or if the abdomen is touched.
· a high temperature, or fever, of 38C (100.4F) or above.
· Although acute cholecystitis is not a medical emergency, if it is not treated, it can lead to a number of serious and potentially fatal complications, such as:
o the death of the tissue of the gallbladder, called gangrenous cholecystitis, which can cause a serious infection
o the gallbladder splitting open, which is known as a perforated gallbladder
· Therefore, if acute cholecystitis is suspected, immediate referral to hospital is recommended.
See the sections below for more information.
· How common is acute cholecystitis?
· Symptoms of acute cholecystitis
· Causes of acute cholecystitis
· Diagnosing acute cholecystitis
· Treating acute cholecystitis
· Complications of acute cholecystitis
· Preventing acute cholecystitis
