W5 22 hepatopancreaticobiliary pathology Flashcards
What is a cholestectomy?
Removal of gallbladder for gallbladder disease
What are the types of gallstones?
Cholesterol stones
Pigment stones
What causes cholesterol stones and what do they look like? (Pg235)
Due to excess cholesterol or deficiency of phospholipids and/or bile acids (substances that keep cholesterol soluble)
Usually yellow colour and can be crumbly
What causes pigment stones and what do they look like? (Pg235)
Due to the presence of unconjugated bilirubin in the gallbladder eg following haemolysis. Stones tend to be darkly pigmented and solid.
Describe the pathogenesis of gallstone disease
- Supersaturation - supersaturation of the liquid bile by cholesterol. In levels of high cholesterol or low phospholipids (keeps the cholesterol in liquid form), the cholesterol becomes concentrated and forms an intermediate crystal structure.
- Crystallisation - allows the cholesterol molecules to form a true crystal which is the nucleus (centre of the stone)
- Stone growth - after nucleation, stones can continue growing with deposition of more cholesterol on the outer layers
(Similar process with unconjugated bilirubin for the formation of pigment stones)
What exacerbating factors are there for gallstone disease?
Gallbladder hypomotility
Mucus hypersecretion
Bacterial infection
Oestrogen
How does gallbladder hypomotility make gallstone disease worse?
If the gallbladder is less able to contract and expel the bile, there is increased likelihood of cholesterol saturating the bile that is there.
How can mucus hypersecretion make gallstone disease worse?
Can cause imbalances in composition of the bile and lead to concentration of the cholesterol
How can oestrogen make gallstone disease worse?
It causes increased cholesterol secretion
(thus gallstones are more commonly seen in overweight women)
What is cholecystitis?
Inflammation of the gallbladder
What is acute cholecystitis?
Caused by obstruction of gallbladder neck by stones. Accumulated bile products in the gallbladder become toxic to the gallbladder epithelium. The damaged epithelium induces acute inflammation via inflammatory mediators (especially PG’s)
What is chronic cholecystitis?
May be a consequence of previous episodes of acute cholecystitis, or from chronic mucosal irritation from a supersaturated bile (with cholesterol). Characterised by a chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate and fibrosis.
Differences between the cells and features of acute and chronic cholecystitis (pg236/7 histological images)
Acute - numerous neutrophils and extensive haemorrhage, blood vessels damaged from inflammation and blood leaks out. epithelium damaged.
Chronic - epithelium better preserved. Infiltrates of predominantly plasma cells. Fibrosis and smooth muscle proliferation.
What are some other complications of gallstone disease?
Empyema
Perforation
Fistula formation with adjacent structures
Obstructive jaundice - if stone passes from gallbladder into common bile duct
Gallstone ileus
Pancreatitis
What is empyema?
Accumulation of pus within gallbladder lumen.
Occurs in examples of severe acute cholecystitis.
What is gallstone ileus?
Erosion of gallstone into adjacent small bowel causing obstruction
What is pancreatitis?
Inflammation of the pancreas. There is acute and chronic.
Why does pancreatitis have significant clinical consequences?
The pancreas contains numerous digestive enzymes with the potential to cause catastrophic tissue destruction
What aetiological factors causes acute pancreatitis?
Gallstones
Alcohol
(Other lesson common)
What is acute pancreatitis?
Auto-digestion of the pancreas by inappropriately activated pancreatic enzymes, massively exacerbating the tissue damage.
Describe the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis caused by pancreatic duct obstruction.
Eg a stone lodged in the ampulla of Vater obstructs the flow of pancreatic juices in the main pancreatic duct. This increases introduction pressure, leading to accumulation/leakage of enzyme rich fluids into interstitial space. Enzymes like lipase cause tissue injury and elicits acute inflammation (through release of DAMPs). This causes oedema which compromises local blood flow by compressing the structures, causing ischaemias and further injury.
What are the causes of acute pancreatitis? (PG238 FLOW CHART)
Duct obstruction
Direct acinar cell injury
Defective intracellular transport
What is the end result of all of the processes causing acute pancreatitis?
Acinar cell injury, resulting in activated pancreatic enzymes, leading to massive interstitial inflammation and oedema, proteolysis, fat necrosis and haemorrhage, due to the damaged caused to the tissues by the enzymes
What things can cause direct acinar damage?
Alcohol, drugs, trauma, ischaemia, viruses
What are the consequences of acute pancreatitis?
Induces a massive inflammatory response:
- increased micro vascular permeability leads to profound hypovolaemia, patients become very sick very quickly
- disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
- acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
Endotoxaemia and infection following breakdown of barriers between gut and bloodstream
Acute renal failure
What healing occurs following acute pancreatitis?
Regeneration of damaged tissue through proliferation of stable acinar cells (normally in G0 but stimulated to proliferate)
Granulation tissue formation and remodelling of extra-cellular matrix
Pseudocyst formation
Describe a pseudocyst formed following healing of acute pancreatitis
Necrotic pancreatic tissue walled off by fibrosis
Cyst contents rich in enzymes eg amylase (released in the acute inflammatory response)
Can sometimes cause compression and become symptomatic for patients