Jaundice in acute cholecystitis without common duct stones
Edlund, G.; Kempi, V.; van der Linden, W.
Acta Chirurgica Scandinavica 149(6): 597-601
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-5482 PMID: 6650071 Document Number: 216384
Patients with acute cholecystitis without common duct stones were studied pre- and postoperatively with 99mTc-HIDA scintigraphy. The resulting hepatic time-activity curves were analyzed. Preoperative serum bilirubin levels were closely correlated with hepatic discharge but not with hepatic uptake of the radiopharmaceutical. Cholecystectomy resulted in prompt improvement of hepatic discharge but did not affect uptake. In acute as well as in chronic cholecystitis cholangiograms taken before removal of the gallbladder were compared with those taken after. In acute cholecystitis the former view frequently showed medial displacement of the biliary tract and incomplete filling of its proximal part. Displacement of the duct was also apparent in comparisons of pre- and postoperative scintigrams. Jaundice in acute cholecystitis is due to reduced excretion which may be caused by pressure on the ducts by the distended gallbladder.