Gallbladder infections

Cholecystitis is the inflammation and/or infection of the gallbladder. It can be a sudden event as Acute Cholecystitis, or simmer and recur as Chronic Cholecystitis.

The gallbladder is a small organ in the upper right abdomen, it lies beneath the liver and it is connected to the bile duct. The gallbladder stores bile, a liquid produced by the liver that helps the body digest oily and fatty food. Before a meal, the gallbladder is filled with bile; during and after meals, the gallbladder squeezes the stored bile into the small intestine through a tube called the common bile duct.

In most cases, gallstones blocking the tube (cystic duct) leading out of the gallbladder cause cholecystitis. This results in swelling (inflammation) and may lead to infection. Other causes of cholecystitis include bile duct problems and tumours.

If left untreated or delayed, cholecystitis can lead to serious and sometimes life-threatening complications e.g., gallbladder rupture (perforation) or tissue death (gangrenous cholecystitis). Treatment for cholecystitis often involves surgery to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy)

Signs and Symptoms


• Severe pain in upper right or centre of the abdomen
• Pain that spreads to your right shoulder or back
• Tenderness over your right upper abdomen when it is pressed
• Nausea & Vomiting
• Fever, chills & rigors
• Tea - coloured urine, pale stools, yellowing of eyes & skin- Jaundice