Acute cholecystitis (patient information)

Acute cholecystitis
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Acute cholecystitis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Acute cholecystitis is a sudden inflammation of the gallbladder that causes severe abdominal pain.

What are the symptoms of Acute cholecystitis?

The main symptom is pain in the upper right side or upper middle of the abdomen. The pain may:

• Sharp, cramping, or dull
• Steady
• Radiating to the back or below the right scapula

Other symptoms that may occur include:

• Clay-colored stools
• Fever
• Nausea and vomiting
• Yellowing of skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)