Gallstone Flashcards

Flashcards about gallstones and biliary disease.

Asymptomatic Cholelithiasis

Gallstones are present on imaging, but the patient has no symptoms.

Symptomatic Cholelithiasis

Intermittent postprandial abdominal pain, typically in the right upper quadrant or epigastric region, after eating fatty foods.

Acute Cholecystitis

Inflammation of the gallbladder, often caused by a gallstone stuck in the neck of the gallbladder or cystic duct.

Murphy's Sign

Sign of cholecystitis where the patient experiences pain when the examiner palpates the right upper quadrant under the ribs and elicits pain as the patient takes a deep breath.

Choledocholithiasis

Presence of a stone in the common bile duct, leading to obstruction of bile flow from the liver.

Ascending Cholangitis

Infection of the biliary system due to blockage, leading to proliferation of bacteria (E coli, Klebsiella).

Charcot's Triad

Fever, abdominal pain, and jaundice, indicative of ascending cholangitis.

Gallstone Pancreatitis

Inflammation of the pancreas caused by a gallstone blocking the ampulla of Vater.