Chronic Cholecystitis

Excerpt

Chronic cholecystitis is a chronic condition caused by ongoing inflammation of the gallbladder resulting in mechanical or physiological dysfunction its emptying. It presents as a smoldering course that can be accompanied by acute exacerbations of increased pain (acute biliary colic), or it can progress to a more severe form of cholecystitis requiring urgent intervention (acute cholecystitis). There are classic signs and symptoms associated with this disease as well as prevalence in certain patient populations. The two forms of chronic cholecystitis are calculous (occuring in the setting of cholelithiasis), and acalculous (without gallstones). However most cases of chronic cholecystitis are commonly associated with cholelithiasis.