Module 3 Flashcards
Cholecystitis is
an acute inflammation of the gallbladder wall, which is usually the result of an impacted calculus within the cystic duct, causing inflammation proximal to the obstruction.
Cholecystitis without gallstones, acalculous cholecystitis, is
a very serious disease with high morbidity and mortality rates. It usually occurs in patients who are already critically ill because of trauma, burns, surgery, or sepsis and who have had no oral intake or have been supplemented with hyperalimentation. Patients present with severe pain and tenderness in the epigastrium or right upper quadrant (RUQ) of the abdomen accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, and leukocytosis.
percentage of pt with cholelithiasis that don’t require tx
50%
The risk of requiring a cholecystectomy increases with
age as a consequence of complications secondary to the lithiasis.
most common gallstone
cholesterol, account for 75%
six Fs
fat, female, forty (age 40 years), flatulent, fertile, and fat-intolerant
After age 50, the gender distribution of cholelithiasis is
equal.
Pregnancy also predisposes women to cholelithiasis, presumably because of
the increased abdominal pressure and increased cholesterol levels during the third trimester.
The gallbladder is of primary importance in the development of gallstones because it
provides an arena for bile stasis and allows time for the slow crystallization of cholesterol
Biliary cholesterol is increased by ingestion of
estrogen and oral contraceptives, multiparity, and inflammatory terminal ileal disease, which decreases the bile acid pool.
black pigment gallstones
Black-pigmented stones are formed within the gallbladder and are commonly associated with hemolytic diseases, cirrhosis, long-term parenteral hyperalimentation. Black-pigmented stones are more fragile and seem to crush more easily than cholesterol stones.
brown pigmented gallstones
Brown pigmented stones are composed of alternating layers of calcium bilirubinate and calcium fatty acids. Chronic bacterial infections are believed to be partly responsible for the formation of brown pigmented stones because the enzymes the bacteria produce predispose the patient to this type of stone formation. Brown stones are typically found within the intrahepatic ducts and are rarely found within the gallbladder.
acute cholecystitis subjective
indigestion
nausea
vomiting (esp after meal high in fat)
acute, colicky pain RUQ or epigastrium
referred pain in middle of back, right shoulder
acute cholecystitis objective
involuntary guarding of RUQ
positive murphys (painful splinting with deep inspiration or palpation of it causes transient resp arrest)
low grade fever
mild jaundice
hypoactive bowel sounds
suspect gallbladder perforation if
rebound tenderness
shaking chills
increased fever
acute cholecystitis diagnostic testing
mild WBC elevation (15,000)
elevated liver enzymes
alk phos high
bili high
gold standard diagnosis of acute cholecystitis
abdominal US
cholelithiasis tx
avoid foods high in fat
if poor surgical risk- dissolution of stones by po ingestion of ursodiol - typically recur.
acute cholecystitis initial tx
rehydration via IV, abx, analgesics, gi rest
if vomiting persists- NG tube
2nd/3rd gen cephalosporin
tx of choice acute cholecystitis
early surgical intervention
The most common complications of acute cholecystitis are
empyema and perforation.
Acute pancreatitis is defined as a
cute inflammation of the pancreas and the surrounding tissues resulting from the release of pancreatic enzymes. These enzymes cause a chemical burn in the retroperitoneal spaces, which leads to systemic toxicity.
80% of all hospital admissions for acute pancreatitis are the result of
biliary tract disease (passing of a gallstone) or alcoholism
Mild acute pancreatitis normally
improves within 48 to 72 hours and does not involve other organ systems. There is minimal interstitial edema, with only occasional microscopic acinar cell necrosis.