Guide To Treating And Preventing Acute Cholecystitis

Lose Excess Weight

An individual can help prevent the development of acute cholecystitis by maintaining a healthy weight. For many individuals, this requires them to lose weight and sustain a certain lifestyle and diet. Gallstones are the main reason for the development of acute cholecystitis. Someone who is overweight or obese is at a greater risk of developing stones in the gallbladder. Gallstones develop because the bile in the gallbladder has too much cholesterol or fat content.

An individual who is overweight or obese has an altered balance of bile acids, lecithin, and cholesterol in their gallbladder. Excess fat can also cause an individual's gallbladder to fail to empty fully. Losing excess weight can easily prevent the development of gallstones and subsequent acute cholecystitis, but losing too much weight too rapidly can also trigger this condition. An individual who is losing weight to prevent acute cholecystitis shouldn't lose more than three pounds in one week.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

An acute cholecystitis patient may need to undergo a procedure referred to as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography as part of their treatment plan. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a procedure that uses both x-rays and an endoscope to extract or remove any blockages in the opening of a patient's gallbladder. An endoscope is a long, thin, flexible tube equipped with a camera and light on the end and has the capacity for the use of certain small instruments.

Once the endoscope is in place in the bile duct, a certain dye is injected to give the surgeon a visual of where the blockage is located and its severity. The contrast dye highlights the flow of fluid in the body when looking at it through an x-ray. Small instruments are then used to break up the stone and remove the fragments from the gallbladder opening. The removal of the stones or obstruction in combination with antibiotics can treat acute cholecystitis.