Snapshot A 46-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician for recurrent right upper quadrant pain. She reports 30-minute episodes of abdominal pain after eating meals, especially with fast food meals. She has not had any fevers or chills, and her episodes always resolve. Her past medical history includes hyperlipidemia, morbid obesity, and polycystic ovarian syndrome, for which she takes oral contraceptives. Her physician orders a right upper quadrant ultrasound, which shows gallstones without any wall thickening. Her physician recommends conservative measures for now, including dietary changes. Introduction Clinical definition cholelithiasis stones in gallbladder are cholesterol or pigment stones biliary colic right upper quadrant abdominal pain following meals, usually associated with nausea and vomiting that self-resolves occurs particularly after fatty or heavy meals (secondary to cholecystokinin (CCK) release) or at night Epidemiology demographics female > male adults risk factors cholesterol stones (most common) F’s Fat Female Forty Fertile impaired gallbladder emptying total parenteral nutrition starvation diabetes biliary stasis rapid weight loss Native American heritage pigment stones cirrhosis biliary stasis chronic hemolysis Pathogenesis cholesterol saturation can cause impaired gallbladder motility gallstones can lead to mechanical obstruction of biliary tract and cause bacterial overgrowth Associated conditions acute cholecystitis ascending cholangitis acute pancreatitis gallstone ileus Presentation Symptoms cholelithiasis may be asymptomatic biliary colic colicky pain in right upper quadrant may radiate to the right shoulder triggered by fatty or heavy foods episodes self-resolve Studies Diagnostic testing diagnostic approach gallstones may be found incidentally on abdominal imaging imaging right upper quadrant ultrasound findings gallstones magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) indication ultrasound results are equivocal endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) indication both diagnostic and therapeutic if intervention is indicated studies alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin may be elevated but only mildly amylase to assess for gallstone pancreatitis Diagnostic criteria gallstones on imaging Differential Peptic ulcer disease distinguishing factors epigastric gnawing pain that may improve with meals ultrasound will show no signs of biliary disease Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction distinguishing factors presents similarly to biliary colic diagnosed with manometry treated with sphincterotomy via ERCP Treatment Management approach incidental asymptomatic gallstones do not require any treatment antibiotics are not needed for simple cholelithiasis and biliary colic First-line supportive care analgesia NSAIDs diet avoid fatty foods that trigger biliary colic rehydration elective cholecystectomy indications symptomatic cholelithiasis patients at risk for cholangiocarcinoma Native American heritage porcelain gallbladder gallstone pancreatitis Second-line ursodeoxycholic acid indication patients unwilling or contraindicated to undergo cholecystectomy can be used as prophylaxis mechanism dissolves gallstones Complications Secondary infections
QUESTIONS 1 of 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Previous Next Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK (M2.GI.15.25) A 42-year-old female with a history of obesity, diabetes, asthma, and hypertension presents to her primary care physician for a follow-up visit after being seen in the ED 1 week ago. She had presented to the ED with urinary urgency, dysuria, increased frequency and was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, and ultimately discharged on appropriate antibiotic therapy. During her ED workup, an abdominal ultrasound was obtained which is demonstrated in Figure A. She currently denies a history of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, early satiety or any other abdominal complaints. She states that apart from her urinary tract infection, which has now successfully been resolved, she feels well. What is the appropriate management for the incidental findings observed in Figure A? Tested Concept QID: 104816 FIGURES: A Type & Select Correct Answer 1 Laparoscopic cholecystectomy 6% (1/18) 2 Open cholecystectomy 0% (0/18) 3 Ursodeoxycholic acid 6% (1/18) 4 No further management at this time 83% (15/18) 5 Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography 0% (0/18) M 7 Question Complexity B Question Importance Select Answer to see Preferred Response SUBMIT RESPONSE 4 Review tested concept (M2.GI.15.41) A 42-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with severe abdominal pain. She states the pain is 9/10 in severity, is sharp in quality, located primarily on her right side, and seems to radiate to her right shoulder blade. She states that she has had similar pain in the past and it always seems to be caused by ingestion of a large meal. On exam, the patient is well appearing and her vitals are shown as: T: 36 deg C, HR: 78 bpm, BP: 130/80 mmHg, RR: 10, SaO2: 100%. A CBC, BMP, and liver function tests are ordered, and all are within normal limits. The emergency physician performs an emergency medicine bedside ultrasound (EMBU) and observes the findings shown in Figure A. What is the cause of this patient's pain? Tested Concept QID: 104832 FIGURES: A Type & Select Correct Answer 1 Viscous distension of gallbladder 65% (13/20) 2 Inflammation of gallbladder 15% (3/20) 3 Inflammation of common bile duct 0% (0/20) 4 Viscous distension of cystic duct 15% (3/20) 5 Inflammation of cystic duct 0% (0/20) M 5 Question Complexity A Question Importance Select Answer to see Preferred Response SUBMIT RESPONSE 1 Review tested concept (M2.GI.15.4816) A 42-year-old obese female presents to the emergency room requesting a pregnancy test. On exam, blood pressure is 135/80 mmHg, heart rate is 79 bpm, respiratory rate is 18 bpm, and she is afebrile. Urine pregnancy test is found to be positive, and an abdominal ultrasound is ordered for staging. The technician inadvertently also scans the patient's right upper quadrant, and an image from this study is shown in Figure A. She denies present or history of episodic right upper quadrant pain. Which of the following is the next best step? Tested Concept QID: 107019 FIGURES: A Type & Select Correct Answer 1 HIDA scan 6% (1/18) 2 Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography 0% (0/18) 3 Exploratory laparoscopy 0% (0/18) 4 Abdominal CT 0% (0/18) 5 Discharge 89% (16/18) M 7 Question Complexity D Question Importance Select Answer to see Preferred Response SUBMIT RESPONSE 5 Review tested concept Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK