[Acute Stress-induced Cholecystitis]

Acute posttraumatic and postoperative cholecystitis is a serious and life-threatening complication with mortality rates ranging from 10 to 50%. The pathogenesis is multifactorial: possible reasons are blood transfusions, dehydration, narcotics, shock and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Between 1980 and 1990 12 patients underwent surgery for acute cholecystitis. Six of them suffered from a so-called acute acalculous cholecystitis. Two patients died postoperatively. The symptoms are that of a "common" cholecystitis with leukocytosis, fever, abdominal distension and upper right abdominal pain. Sonography is a good method to establish the diagnosis and helps in the decision for cholecystectomy. Clinicians must remember the possibility of an acute cholecystitis in any surgical patient developing abdominal pain or unexplained fever.