Acute Cholecystitis after Screening Colonoscopy / 대한췌담도학회지

ABSTRACT

Acute cholecystitis after colonoscopy is very rare, and has not been extensively studied. A 51-year-old male with history of acute cholecystitis caused by common bile duct stones 1 year ago underwent screening colonoscopy. Colonoscopy was performed without difficulty and showed normal findings. Two days after colonoscopy, right upper quadrant abdominal pain and fever were developed. Abdominal computed tomography showed an enlargement of gallbladder with diffuse wall thickening and gallstones in the neck of gallbladder. The findings were consistent with that of acute cholecystitis as post-colonoscopy complication. Although its pathophysiology is uncertain, possible causes including dehydration of patient, concentration of bile and bacterial translocation were suggested in previous reports. Due to its rarity, it is hard to suspect an acute cholecystitis as primary complication of colonoscopy. Thus acute cholecystitis should be considered in differential diagnosis of patients with abdominal pain and fever after colonoscopy, particularly those who with history of gallstones.