Varón asiático con dolor abdominal recurrente / An asian man with recurrent abdominal pain

La colangitis piógena recurrente (CPR) o colangiohepatitis oriental es una entidad definida por la formación primaria intrahepática de cálculos biliares, cuya principal manifestación son los episodios recurrentes de colangitis, aunque también puede derivar en otras complicaciones biliopancreáticas. Se presenta mayoritariamente en pacientes asiáticos, en quienes constituye una de las principales causas de dolor abdominal agudo. El diagnóstico diferencial debe establecerse entre todas aquellas entidades asociadas a la formación intrahepática de cálculos biliares, más frecuentes en los países asiáticos frente al predominio de la colelitiasis occidental típica. Su abordaje diagnóstico y terapéutico requiere la colaboración de gastroenterólogos, radiólogos y cirujanos digestivos. Revisaremos los aspectos clínicos, diagnósticos y terapéuticos más relevantes de esta entidad que, aunque de claro predominio en países orientales, se está diagnosticando cada vez con más frecuencia en nuestro medio (AU)

Recurrent pyogenic cholangitis (RPC), or oriental cholangiohepatitis, is characterized by intrabiliary pigment stone formation, whose main manifestation consists of recurrent episodes of cholangitis, although other biliopancreatic complications can also occur. RPC develops mainly in Asian patients, in whom this entity is one of the main causes of acute abdominalpain. The differential diagnosis should be established with all other entities associated with intrahepatic stone formation, which is more common in Asian countries compared with the predominance of gallstone formation in the West. The diagnostic and therapeutic approach requires collaboration among gastroenterologists, radiologists and gastrointestinal surgeons. We review the most important clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of this entity, which, although clearly predominant in Asia, is increasingly diagnosed in our setting (AU)

[An Asian man with recurrent abdominal pain]. / Varón asiático con dolor abdominal recurrente.

Recurrent pyogenic cholangitis (RPC), or oriental cholangiohepatitis, is characterized by intrabiliary pigment stone formation, whose main manifestation consists of recurrent episodes of cholangitis, although other biliopancreatic complications can also occur. RPC develops mainly in Asian patients, in whom this entity is one of the main causes of acute abdominal pain. The differential diagnosis should be established with all other entities associated with intrahepatic stone formation, which is more common in Asian countries compared with the predominance of gallstone formation in the West. The diagnostic and therapeutic approach requires collaboration among gastroenterologists, radiologists and gastrointestinal surgeons. We review the most important clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of this entity, which, although clearly predominant in Asia, is increasingly diagnosed in our setting.