Acute Cholecystitis

Abstract

Acute cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder and is triggered by cholelithiasis in about 90% of cases. Gallstone-associated diseases are among the most expensive in the field of gastroenterology and are therefore of great economic importance. Development of gallstones is multifactorial. The risk of gallstone disease increases with age. In particular, the carbohydrate- and fat-rich diet and the lack of physical activity in the Western world are involved in the formation of gallstones. Another important risk factor is genetic variants in cholesterol transporters. Diagnosis is based on the combination of the medical history, the physical examination, abdominal ultrasound and infection parameters in clinical chemistry. Typical symptoms include colic-like upper abdominal pain lasting more than six hours, fever or leukocytosis, and ultrasound gallbladder wall oedema in combination with a positive Murphy sign. The treatment of choice is early laparoscopic cholecystectomy.