Liver & Biliary Disease Flashcards
What is the management for the prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in patients with ascites and a protein concentration of <= 15 g/L?
Oral ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin.
What is spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
Form of peritonitis usually seen in patients with ascites secondary to liver cirrhosis.
What are the features of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
Ascites, abdominal pain and fever.
How is spontaneous bacterial peritonitis diagnosed?
Paracentesis - neutrophil count > 250 cells/ul
What is the most common organism found on ascitic culture of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
E.coli
What is the management of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
IV cefotaxime
What is the treatment for acute cholecystitis?
IV antibiotics and laparoscopic cholecystectomy within 1 week of diagnosis.
Pigmented gallstones are associated with which condition?
Sickle cell anaemia
Does blockage of the cystic duct/gallbladder cause jaundice?
No
Where does the pain radiate to with biliary colic?
Interscapular region (referred pain from diaphragmatic irritation).
Which antibiotic can cause cholestasis?
Co-amoxiclav
What is the most common causative agent for ascending cholangitis?
E.coli
What is Reynolds’ pentad?
Charcot’s triad (RUQ pain, fever and jaundice) + hypotension and confusion. Indicates severe case of ascending cholangitis.
Subcutaneous (surgical) emphysema is a known complication of what type of surgery?
Laparoscopic - surgical emphysema is the presence of gas in subcutaneous soft tissues. Crepitus on palpation.
What is the treatment for biliary colic?
Elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
What test is useful in determining the cause of isolated hyperbilirubinaemia?
FBC - to determine haemolysis or Gilbert’s syndrome.
Obesity and abnormal LFTs suggest what diagnosis?
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
What is the treatment for asymptomatic gallstones?
Reassurance
What would you expect the LFTs and CRP levels to be in biliary colic?
Normal
A 22-year-old man returns to the UK from holiday in India. He presents with painless jaundice. On examination he is not deeply jaundiced and there is no organomegaly.
Hepatitis A
A 56-year-old man presents with jaundice. He has a long history of alcohol misuse. On examination he is jaundiced and ultrasound shows multiple echo dense lesions in both lobes of the liver. His alpha feto protein is elevated 6 times the normal range
Hepatocellular carcinoma
A 32-year-old man who has suffered from Crohns disease for many years presents with intermittent jaundice. When it occurs it is obstructive in nature. It then usually resolves spontaneously.
Bile duct stones - impaired bile salt absorption in terminal ileum to gallstones develop.
What is the first line investigation for acute cholecystitis?
Abdominal ultrasound
Where is bile produced and stored?
Produced in liver and stored in gallbladder.
Which hormone stimulates bile release into duodenum via contraction of gallbladder?
CCK
Where is bile reabsorbed?
Terminal ileum
List the components of bile
Bile salts, cholesterol, phospholipids, bilirubin, electrolytes and water.
What is the function of bile?
Emulsifies fat and eliminates waste e.g. bilirubin.
What is bilirubin?
Breakdown product of rbc.
Where is bilirubin conjugated?
Liver
As most of the bilirubin in reabsorbed by the terminal ileum and returned to the liver, what happens to the bilirubin that is excreted?
Excreted by kidney as urobilin or excreted by bowel as stercobilinogen.
Name the pre-hepatic (unconjugated), hepatic (mixed) and post-hepatic (conjugated) causes of jaundice
Pre-hepatic: haemolytic anaemia, Gilbert’s syndrome, Criggler-Najjar syndrome.
Hepatic: viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, medication, autoimmune hepatitis, hereditary haemochromatosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary sclerosis.
Post-hepatic: ascending cholangitis (intra-luminal), pancreatic cancer (extra-mural), cholangiocarcinoma (mural), primary sclerosing cholangitis (mural), strictures (mural), lymphoma (extra-mural).