acute cholangitis


Acute Cholangitis

Acute bile duct inflammation
Aetiology Stricture or obstruction of bile ducts, infection, pancreatic reflux, drugs, chemicals
Clinical findings Right upper quadrant pain of varying severity which may radiate to the shoulder, nausea, vomiting, constipation, episodic chills, fever, slow pulse, Murphy sign, anorexia, weight loss; spontaneous remission is rare.
Lab Increased leukocytes—especially neutrophils—increased bilirubin, urobilinogen in urine.
Management Cholecystectomy

acute cholangitis

Gastroenterology Acute bile duct inflammation Etiology Stricture or obstruction of bile ducts, infection, pancreatic reflux, drugs, chemicals Clinical Right upper quadrant pain that may radiate to the shoulder, variable severity, N&V, constipation, episodic chills, fever, slow pulse, Murphy sign, anorexia, weight loss; spontaneous remission is rare Imaging ERCP, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography Lab ↑ WBCs, ↑ BR, urobilinogen in urine Management Cholecystectomy