What is cholangitis?
Inflammation caused by bacteria settling in the bile ducts due to various reasons is defined as cholangitis. Cholangitis can be life-threatening if left untreated.
What are the causes of cholangitis?
Stones in the bile duct, bile duct stents, and infections resulting from gallbladder surgery can lead to cholangitis.
What are the symptoms of cholangitis?
Cholangitis manifests itself with symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting and fever. These complaints, especially in people with stones in the gallbladder or bile duct, should be taken seriously as symptoms of cholangitis.
How is cholangitis diagnosed?
Diagnosis of cholangitis is made by blood test. Increase in leukocyte cells in the blood, increase in the amount of bilirubin and elevation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) are indicators of cholangitis. In addition, imaging methods such as ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTK) are used.
How is cholangitis treated?
Patients with cholangitis must be treated by hospitalization. Strong antibiotic treatment is applied by inserting serum into the vein. In some cases, it is also necessary to reduce the pressure in the bile ducts. For this, a stent can be inserted into the bile duct endoscopically.
