Gallstones Flashcards
What are gallstones commonly made up of?
Cholesterol
What are the risk factors for developing gallstones? (4)
F 4’s
- Female
- Fat (obese)
- Forty
- Fertile (pregnancy, OCP)
What are the clinical presentations of a pt w/ biliary colic?
RUQ pain after meals
How would you diagnose gallstones?
Ultrasound scan: gallstones
How would you treat asymptomatic gallstones?
No treatment!
What are the non-surgical treatments for biliary colic? (3)
- Pain relief
- Bile acid dissolution therapy
- IV antibiotics if necessary
What are the surgical treatments for biliary colic?
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
What is cholecystitis?
Inflammation of the gallbladder
What causes cholecystitis? (2)
- Gallstones (common)
- Infections: E.coli
What are the clinical presentations of a pt w/ cholecystitis? (2)
- Continuous RUQ pain
- Fever
What are the signs of cholecystitis? (2)
- Boas sign: RUQ pain radiated to R shoulder
- Murphy’s sign: “catch” in breath when pressing on RUQ during deep breath
How would you investigate cholecystitis? (4)
- FBC: raised CRP, WCC
- LFT: raised ALT (alkaline phosphatase)
- Ultrasound: stones, wall thickening, pericholecystic fluid
- ERCP
How would you treat cholecystitis? (4)
- Fluid resuscitation
- Antibiotic therapy
- ERCP: clear obstruction
- Cholecystectomy
What is cholangitis?
Infection of the bile duct
What are the clinical presentations of cholangitis? (3)
- RUQ pain
- Jaundice
- Fever