Gallbladder Empyema Follow-up

  • Author: Benjamin Pace, MD; Chief Editor: Julian Katz, MD   more...
 
Updated: Nov 28, 2011
 

Further Inpatient Care

  • Following surgical decompression and resection of the gallbladder with empyema, intravenous antibiotic therapy is maintained until fever resolves and white blood cell count returns to normal. Discharge home, on oral antibiotic therapy, is guided by the results of intraoperative bile cultures.
  • For patients with complications (eg, intra-abdominal infections, wound infections, sepsis), therapy and follow-up care are clearly patient specific.
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Complications

  • The major complications associated with empyema of the gallbladder are localized or free perforation and/or generalized sepsis.
  • Possible surgical complications include the following:
    • Wound infection
    • Bleeding
    • Subhepatic abscess
    • Cystic stump leak
    • Common bile duct injury
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Prognosis

  • If treated early, otherwise healthy patients have a full recovery and return to normal activity.
  • In patients of advanced age, in those who are immunocompromised, or in those with significant comorbid conditions (including patients with advanced diabetes mellitus, in whom the condition is more prevalent), the development of empyema of the gallbladder and the resultant sepsis constitute a serious life-threatening event.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Benjamin Pace, MD  Director of Surgery, Chief of Breast Service, Queens Hospital Center

Benjamin Pace, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, Association for Academic Surgery, Association for Surgical Education, and Medical Society of the State of New York

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Bruce Morel, MD, FACS  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Bruce Morel, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, and Medical Society of the State of New York

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Sita Chokhavatia, MD, MBBS  Associate Fellowship Director, Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Sita Chokhavatia, MD, MBBS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Gastroenterology, American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Maurice A Cerulli, MD, FACP, FACG, FASGE, AGAF  Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University; Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Hofstra Medical School

Maurice A Cerulli, MD, FACP, FACG, FASGE, AGAF is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American College of Gastroenterology, American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Association, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and New York Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Simmy Bank, MD  Chair, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Long Island Jewish Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP  Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and Society of General Internal Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Julian Katz, MD  Clinical Professor of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine

Julian Katz, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Gastroenterology, American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, American Geriatrics Society, American Medical Association, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, American Trauma Society, Association of American Medical Colleges, and Physicians for Social Responsibility

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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