Acute Cholecystitis Flashcards
What is charcot’s triad?
- juandice
- increased white cell count
- fever
What is the age that this peaks?
-40-50 years
What is acute cholecystitis?
-inflammation of the gallbladder caused by cholelithiasis
What is the pathophysiology of cholecystitis?
- gallstones obstructing the cystic duct which leads to inflammation and distension of the gallbladder
- bacterial infection can occur(E. coli, klebsiella, enterobacter)
What are the clinical signs?
- RUQ pain that can radiate to the right shoulder and back
- usually after meals
- positive Murphy’s sign-when you push on the right upper quadrant and ask patient to inspire that causes immense pain and the patients stops inspiring
- guarding
- nausea and vomiting
- fever, malaise
What tests can we do diagnose acute cholecystitis?
- CRP and elevated white cell count(inflammatory markers)
- mild elevations in ALT,AST and amylase are possible
- If GGT, ALP, and bilirubin means that there is biliary obstruction and not cystic duct obstruction
What imaging can we do acute cholecystitis?
- We do a transabdominal ultrasound:
- gallbaldder wall thickening by 4mm
- gallbladder double wall sign
- sometimes there’s free fluid surrounding the gallbladder
- presence of gallstones
- sonographic Murphy’s sign - HIDA scan-99mTc radioactive tracer is injected and usually we would not able to see the gallbladder if there is an obstruction there. We have wait 30-60 minutes
Are MRCP and abdominal ultrasounds usually done?
-No
What is the treatment for acute cholecystitis?
- supportive
- Nil per mouth
- analgesia
- antiemetics
- broad spectrum AB
- FLUIDS and electrolytes - cholecystectomy as soon as possible
What antibiotics would you use in this patient?
- mild/moderate community acquired: cefazolin, ceftriaxone and metronidazole
- severe community acquired: ciprofloxacin plus metronidazole
What are the two types of acute cholecystitis?
- calculous acute cholecystitis(90%)
2. acalculous cholecystitis(5-10%)
What are the symptoms of acalculous cholecystitis?
- RUQ pain
2. Fever
What is the pathophysiology of acalculous cholecystitis?
- already occurs in patients that are already ill: sepsis, multi-organ failure, severe trauma, prolonged trauma, prolonged periods of total parenteral feeding
- this causes biliary stasis
How do you diagnose acalculous cholecystitis?
-transabdominal ultrasound that will show a thickened gallbladder wall with no gallbladder stones
How do we treat acalculous choilecystitis?
-AB