What is cholecystitis?

Cholecystitis is inflammation of your gallbladder. In most people, it’s caused by gallstones.

Your gallbladder is a small organ. It sits underneath your liver, on the right side of your upper abdomen (tummy).

Your gallbladder stores a thick, green fluid called bile. Bile is made by your liver to help with digestion.

Cholecystitis can be very painful and needs hospital treatment. It is a serious condition and can lead to complications.

What are the symptoms of cholecystitis?

Symptoms of cholecystitis include:

• an intense, constant pain in the middle or right side of your upper abdomen (tummy)
• tummy pain that spreads to your back or right shoulder
• nausea
• vomiting
• fever
• loss of appetite

Jaundice affects up to 1 in 10 people with cholecystitis.

See your doctor if you have abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting. If the pain is so bad that you can’t get comfortable, go straight to your nearest hospital emergency department.

What causes cholecystitis?

Cholecystitis is most often caused by gallstones blocking the tube out of your gallbladder. This tube is called the cystic duct. The blockage causes a build-up of bile. This in turn causes inflammation of your gallbladder.

Rarely, cholecystitis happens in people without gallstones. This usually happens if you are already very unwell.

When should I see my doctor?

See your doctor if you have abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting. If the pain is so bad that you can’t get comfortable, go straight to your nearest hospital emergency department.

How is cholecystitis diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and medical history. They will ask about the medicines you take and your recent health.

They will examine you, including feeling your tummy.

Your doctor may recommend tests, such as:

• an ultrasound scan of your abdomen
• blood tests
• a CT scan or MRI scan of your abdomen

How is cholecystitis treated?

Cholecystitis needs to be treated in hospital.

Treatment usually involves:

• fasting (not eating and drinking)
• intravenous (IV) fluids — fluids given through a drip
• antibiotics
• pain-relief medicines
• surgery to remove your gallbladder

Gallbladder removal

Surgery to remove your gallbladder is called a cholecystectomy. This is standard treatment if your cholecystitis is caused by gallstones.

Your gallbladder may be removed with a procedure called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This is a type of keyhole surgery.

If there are complications during keyhole surgery, your doctors may need to switch to an open operation.

After the operation, bile will flow straight from your liver to your small intestine. You can live a normal life without your gallbladder.

What are the complications of cholecystitis?

Complications of cholecystitis can include:

• infection of the bile ducts (which carry bile from your liver)
• a serious infection, including an abscess or sepsis
• a perforated (torn) gallbladder

Complications of cholecystitis can be life-threatening.

Can cholecystitis be prevented?

There are things you can do that may lower your risk of having gallstones. These include:

• eating a diet that’s high in fibre and low in saturated fat
• maintaining a healthy body weight
• getting regular physical activity

If you’ve had symptoms related to gallstones, your doctor may recommend having your gallbladder removed to prevent cholecystitis.

Resources and support

Find out more about gallstones from the Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA).

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.