Chronic cholecystitis

What is chronic cholecystitis

Chronic cholecystitis is an inflammatory disease of the gallbladder, more common in women over 40 years of age.

Useful information about chronic cholecystitis

Symptoms of chronic cholecystitis

Chronic cholecystitis can occur for many years and periodically make itself felt in the form of exacerbations. Provoking factors for exacerbations are often errors in the diet, namely the use of fatty, fried, smoked foods.

The reason for the development of chronic cholecystitis is a violation of the outflow of bile. The disease is more common in women over the age of 40, which is associated with the effect on the bile ducts of the female sex hormones estrogen.

The characteristic symptoms of the disease are:

• pain in the right hypochondrium, radiating to other parts of the body, left hypochondrium, epigastric region, etc.
• dyspeptic phenomena – bloating, an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, etc.;
• general weakness and fever, headache.

Stages

In the chronic course of the disease, stones can form in the gallbladder, such cholecystitis is called calculous. The formation of stones contributes to prolonged stagnation of bile in the gallbladder.

Calculous cholecystitis, in turn, is divided into stages:

1. Initial stage (stoneless)
2. Stage of stone formation
3. Stage of chronic calculous cholecystitis
4. Stage of complications

For a long time, the disease may be in remission and be asymptomatic. chronic cholecystitis can be triggered by:

• Alcohol;
• Fatty, fried, spicy food;
• stress;
• physical activity

Treatment of chronic cholecystitis

With acalculous cholecystitis, the appointment of drugs that improve the outflow of bile from the gallbladder, as well as relieve spasm of the bile ducts, is indicated. Equally important is the careful observance of the diet table number 5. With calculous cholecystitis, lithotripsy (crushing of stones) or complete removal of the gallbladder is indicated.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of chronic cholecystitis is made on the basis of the presence of characteristic symptoms, general and biochemical blood tests, ultrasound of the gallbladder, coprogram for the presence of parasites (giardia).

Medical preparations

Treatment of chronic cholecystitis can be conservative and surgical. With conservative treatment, the following groups of drugs are prescribed:

• antibacterial agents;
• choleretic;
• antispasmodics;
• digestive enzymes.

operations

Conservative therapy of chronic cholecystitis is not always successful, therefore, in the case of progression of inflammation, as well as frequent exacerbations, removal of the gallbladder is indicated. A direct indication for surgery is also the presence of stones in the gallbladder. Surgery for calculous cholecystitis is performed primarily in order to avoid severe complications of the disease, such as blockage of the biliary tract, peritonitis, and others.

First aid for an attack

An attack of cholecystitis is characterized by acute pain in the right hypochondrium. Pain can also be given to the epigastric region, to the left hypochondrium, to the right shoulder and neck.

When joining, you must:

• Before providing the patient with rest:
• An antispasmodic, for example, is best by injection;
• Apply a cold compress to the right hypochondrium;
• Abundant drink in the form of mineral water without gas, especially with nausea and vomiting.

What complications can there be?

Complications of chronic cholecystitis can occur in the absence of timely treatment. The most common complications of chronic cholecystitis include:

• Rupture of the gallbladder;
• Development of gangrene and peritonitis;
• Blockage of the bile ducts and jaundice;
• Intestinal obstruction;
• Hepatitis;
• Empyema (accumulation of pus) of the gallbladder.

When to see a doctor

With the appearance of acute pain in the right hypochondrium, you should immediately consult a doctor. Pain in the hypochondrium may be accompanied by dyspeptic symptoms in the form of heartburn, bloating, metallic taste in the mouth, nausea and vomiting.

Prevention of chronic cholecystitis

Prevention of chronic cholecystitis primarily consists of following a diet. Food should be balanced and regular. It is necessary to monitor weight, do not eat up at night, do not abuse alcohol, fatty, fried and smoked foods. To prevent the development of complications, timely treatment of the disease is necessary.

Diet

In chronic cholecystitis, it is important to follow a diet. This is the only way to prevent the exacerbation of the disease. With a therapeutic diet (table No. 5), it is recommended to eat:

• various soups, borscht without meat;
• lean lean meat – beef, poultry, tongue;
• fish (perch, bream, hake, cod);
• dairy products and cottage cheese dishes;
• yesterday’s bread, both white and black;
• boiled eggs or scrambled eggs;
• fruits and berries (non-acidic);
• pasta;
• jam, sugar, honey, marmalade no more than 70 g per day;
• vegetable and butter in the form of dressing dishes.

What you can not eat:

• alcohol;
• fatty varieties of fish, meat, poultry;
• fried, fatty, smoked dishes;
• by-products;
• pickled vegetables;
• carbonated water;
• chocolate, ice cream.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about the problems of treatment, complications of chronic cholecystitis and the possibility of using traditional medicine with gastroenterologist Elena Mezentseva.