Acute Cholecystitis
Cholecystitis is a condition that refers to the inflammation of the gall bladder.
Though this condition is rare in children, it is often seen and associated with intercurrent infections such as typhoid fever, gastroenteritis, shigellosis, bacterial pneumonia and meningitis.
Children with acute cholecystitis will have a colicky or constant abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant and is associated with fever, vomiting, and sometimes abdominal distension.
Abdominal tenderness is also common and the inflamed gall bladder is palpated as a tender mass in the right upper quadrant.
Proper treatment of the associated infection decreases the signs and symptoms of acute cholecystitis in children.
Surgical interventions are done only in progressive manifestations.
In the presence of stones, then exploration of the common duct is necessary.