Chronic cholecystitis

Chronic cholecystitis

Updated: 03/26/2019

© Jun Wang, MD, PhD

General features

• Very common
• Most in women, 40+
• Majority associated with cholelithiasis
• Complications: Acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, biliary fistulas, choledocholithiasis, gallstone ileus
• Usually associated with bacteria and other microorganisms

Clinical presentations

• May be asymptomatic
• Recurrent acute cholecystitis or biliary colic

Pathological features

• Variable thickening of gallbladder wall, variable adhesions with chronic inflammation
• Porcelaingallbladder:

Dense, paucicellular hyaline fibrosis with diffusely effacements of normal structure

Calcifications

Higher risk for gallbladder carcinoma

Management

• Cholecystectomy

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