Acalculous Cholecystitis Treatment & Management

  • Author: Homayoun Shojamanesh, MD; Chief Editor: John Geibel, MD, DSc, MA   more...
 
Updated: Jan 5, 2012
 

Medical Care

When the diagnosis of acalculous cholecystitis is established, immediate intervention is indicated because of the high risk of rapid deterioration and gallbladder perforation.

In patients with acalculous cholecystitis who are high-risk surgical candidates (ie, end-stage liver disease), endoscopic gallbladder stent placement has been reported as an effective palliative treatment. This involves placement of a double pigtail stent between the gallbladder and the duodenum during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, the definitive treatment of acalculous cholecystitis is cholecystectomy for patients who are able to tolerate surgery.

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Surgical Care

In surgical candidates, open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy is indicated.[7] In patients who are not surgical candidates, percutaneous cholecystostomy may be performed in the radiology suite. Catheters are usually removed after approximately 3 weeks in critically ill patients with acalculous cholecystitis who have undergone percutaneous cholecystostomy. This allows for the development of a mature track from the skin to the gallbladder.

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Consultations

  • Gastroenterologists
  • Surgeons
  • Radiologists
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Diet

Patients in the acute stage of acalculous cholecystitis should receive nothing by mouth. Hydration with intravenous fluids should be provided.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Homayoun Shojamanesh, MD  Former Fellow, Digestive Diseases Branch, National Institutes of Health

Homayoun Shojamanesh, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Praveen K Roy, MD, AGAF  Gastroenterologist, Ochsner Clinic Foundation; Adjunct Associate Research Scientist, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute; Editor-in-Chief, The Internet Journal of Gasteroenterology; Editorial Board, Signal Transduction Insights; Editorial Board, The Internet Journal of Epidemiology; Editorial Board, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Review Letter

Praveen K Roy, MD, AGAF is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, and American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Marco G Patti, MD  Professor of Surgery, Director, Center for Esophageal Diseases, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine

Marco G Patti, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Surgeons, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Association, American Surgical Association, Association for Academic Surgery, Pan-Pacific Surgical Association, Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, Southwestern Surgical Congress, and Western Surgical Association

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

Michael A Grosso, MD  Consulting Staff, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St Francis Hospital

Michael A Grosso, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Society of University Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Paolo Zamboni, MD  Professor of Surgery, Chief of Day Surgery Unit, Chair of Vascular Diseases Center, University of Ferrara, Italy

Paolo Zamboni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Venous Forum and New York Academy of Sciences

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

John Geibel, MD, DSc, MA  Vice Chair and Professor, Department of Surgery, Section of Gastrointestinal Medicine, and Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine; Director, Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, Yale-New Haven Hospital

John Geibel, MD, DSc, MA is a member of the following medical societies: American Gastroenterological Association, American Physiological Society, American Society of Nephrology, Association for Academic Surgery, International Society of Nephrology, New York Academy of Sciences, and Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract

Disclosure: AMGEN Royalty Consulting; ARdelyx Ownership interest Board membership

References

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