Cholecystitis – Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
January 26, 2021 | by Sravani Pathakamuri | Posted in Nutrition Facts
Cholecystitis is confirmed by your doctor by conducting blood tests to see if you have a gallbladder infection. Along with the white blood cell count in our blood as it may become elevated as a sign of the infection. One or more of the following radiology tests also may be done.
Diagnosis
The following tests may also be ordered:
- Abdominal Ultrasound: This can show any gallstones and the condition of the gallbladder.
- Abdominal CT (Computed tomography) & Magnetic resonance cholangio pancreatography (MRCP): It uses x-rays to produce clear pictures of the abdomen, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts and intestine to help identify inflammation of the gallbladder.
- Blood test: An increased white blood cell count may indicate an infection. High levels of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and serum aminotransferase may also diagnosis the cholecystitis.
- Hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan: Also known as a cholescintigraphy, hepatobiliary scintigraphy or hepatobiliary scan, this scan creates pictures of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tract and small intestine.
All these tests allows the doctor to identify the production and flow of bile from the liver to the small intestine and determine whether there is a blockage, and where it is.
Treatment
Treatment for cholecystitis is usually done by a hospital stay to control the inflammation in your gallbladder. Sometimes, surgery is also needed. At the hospital, To give you treatment without any complications, your doctor will control your signs and symptoms.
Process of treatments may include:
- Fasting: The first thing for any diagnosis and treatment is fasting, it mean you are not allowed to eat or drink to reduce stress of your inflamed gallbladder.
- Fluids through a vein in your arm: As you are tracked on fasting, do avoid dehydration fluids are passed through veins.
- Antibiotics and pain killers: If your gallbladder is infected, your doctor will recommend antibiotics to fight infections. These pain medications can help control pain until the inflammation in your gallbladder is relieved.
- Removing stones: Your doctor may perform a procedure called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to remove any stones blocking the bile ducts or cystic duct.
For some people, symptoms may decrease in 2-3 days. However, gallbladder inflammation often returns. People with this condition need surgerical treatment to remove the gallbladder.
Surgery
Gallbladder removal surgery: It is called a cholecystectomy. Generally, this is a minimally invasive procedure, involving a few tiny incisions in your abdomen:
- Laparoscopic surgery: The surgeon uses the belly button and several small cuts to insert a laparoscope to see inside the abdomen and remove the gallbladder. You will be given anesthesia during the surgery.
- open surgery: The surgeon makes a cut in the abdomen and removes the gallbladder. Here, a long incisions is made in your abdomen.
Basing on the severity of your symptoms and your overall risk of problems during and after surgery, time of the surgery is decided. If there is no problem, surgery may be performed within 48 hours. Once your gallbladder is removed, bile flows directly from your liver into your small intestine, without being stored in your gallbladder. You don’t need your gallbladder to live.
Prevention
You can reduce your risk of cholecystitis by taking the following preventive measures to prevent gallstones:
- Maintain an ideal body weight : Maintaining a healthy is always beneficial. by reducing calories and by increasing your physical activity. Maintain a healthy weight by continuing to eat well and exercise. Being overweight makes you more likely to develop gallstones.
- Lose weight : If you need to lose weight slowly, aim to lose 0.5 to about 1 kilogram a week. Rapid weight loss may increase the risk of gallstones.
- Choose a healthy diet : To lower your risk, choose a diet with high fiber like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Diet rich in fats may increase the risk.
Notes:
- keeping to a regular breakfast, lunch and dinner times and not skipping meals.
- Exercising 5 days per week for at least 30 minutes each time.
- Losing weight slowly, because obesity increases the risk of gallstones.
- Reduce saturated fats.