Acalculous cholecystitis

Background
  • Acute necroinflammatory disease of gallbladder with multifactorial pathogenesis
    • Gallbladder stasis and ischemia leads to distension and eventually necrosis/perforation
    • Accounts for 10% of acute cholecystitis; associated with high morbidity/mortality

Anatomy & Pathophysiology
Gallbladder anatomy
  • Gallstones are classified as cholesterol stones and pigmented stones (black and brown), and are present in approx 20% of females and 8% of males in the United States
  • These stones cause the majority of all biliary tract problems, and depending on where the stone become impacted, specific problems occur.
  • Bile flows out the gallbladder, down the cystic duct into the common bile duct, and ultimately into the 1st portion of the duodenum.

Gallbladder disease types

Risk Factors

Clinical Features

Differential Diagnosis

RUQ Pain

Evaluation

Work-Up
  • CBC
    • Leukocytosis (70-85% of patients)
  • Chemistry
  • LFTs
  • Blood cultures
  • RUQ Ultrasound
    • Absence of gallstones or sludge
    • Thickened wall (>5 mm) with pericholecystic fluid
    • Positive sonographic Murphy's sign
    • Emphysematous cholecystitis with gas bubbles arising in fundus of gallbladder
    • Frank perforation of gallbladder with associated abscess formation

Management

Disposition
  • Admit

See Also

References
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