Acute Cholecystitis

       Acute cholecystitis is swelling (inflammation) of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of the belly (abdomen), beneath the liver. The gallbladder holds a digestive fluid (bile) that's released into the small intestine. Acute cholecystitis is a potentially serious condition that usually needs to be treated in hospital.

Image From :  Dr Parag Dhamane

Causes

- Gall Stones

- Tumor

- Bile duct blockage

- Infections

Symptoms

➳ Severe pain in your upper right or center abdomen 

➳ Pain that spreads to your right shoulder or back 

➳ Tenderness over your abdomen when it's touched 

➳ Nausea 

➳ Vomiting 

➳ Fever

➳ Sweating

➳ Loss of appetite

Diagnosis

To diagnose acute cholecystitis, your GP will examine your abdomen.

- Murphy’s sign

- Blood Test

- Ultrasound scan of abdomen

Complications

If untreated, acute cholecystitis can lead to a serious complications, including:

1. Infection within the gallbladder

2. Death of gallbladder tissue

3. Torn gallbladder

4. Intraabdominal abscess

Prevention

Lose weight slowly

Maintain a healthy weight

Choose a healthy diet, balanced diet and reducing the number of high-cholesterol foods

Reference

1. MayoClinic, cholecystitis, 2022.

2. NHS UK, Acute cholecystitis, 2023.