A Simple Guide to Cholangitis, Diagnosis, Treatment and Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

This book describes Cholangitis, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases

Acute cholangitis is normally produced by a bacterial infection of the bile duct happening from stagnation of the bile in the duct.

Choledocholithiasis which is a gallstone that becomes stuck or lodged in the bile duct can produce an obstruction that results in an infection.

Less often infections can happen caused by a stricture or narrowing of the duct itself such as in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis or may be linked with a cancer.

There is a blockage of the free flow of the bile producing a stagnant disorder which allows the bacteria to take hold.

The most common cause of cholangitis is infection of the bile ducts due to blockage by a gallstone.

Strictures (portions of ducts that have become narrow) also function in the same way.

Strictures may be due to congenital abnormalities of the bile ducts, form as a result of injury to the bile duct (such as surgery, trauma), or result from inflammation that leads to scar tissue and narrowing

Cholangitis is an infection of the common bile duct (CBD), the tube that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder and intestines.

Bile is a liquid made by the liver that helps digest food.

When the passage of bile out of the ducts is blocked, the few bacteria that are there rapidly reproduce.

A partial blockage to the flow of bile can happen when a stone from the gallbladder blocks the duct, and also allows bacteria to flow back into the CBD, and creates ideal disorders for their growth.

Tumors, on the other hand, cause a more complete blockage of bile flow, both in and out, so fewer infections happen.

The reproducing organisms are often able to enter the bloodstream and infect multiple organs such as the liver and heart valves

Another source of inflammation of the bile ducts happens in diseases of altered immunity, called "autoimmune diseases."

In these diseases, the body fails to recognize certain cells as part of its normal composition.

The body thinks these cells are foreign and produces antibodies to fight them off.

Cholangitis is inflammation (swelling and redness) in the bile duct that can be classified under:
1. Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC)
2. Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)
3. Secondary cholangitis
4. Immune cholangitis

There are two main forms of cholangitis:
1. Chronic cholangitis happens slowly over time and can cause symptoms over 5 to 20 years.
2. Acute cholangitis happens suddenly and cause symptoms over a short time period.

Causes of acute cholangitis are:
1. Bacterial infection
2. Gallstones
3. Blockages
4. Tumor

Chronic cholangitis may be an autoimmune disease where the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the bile ducts.

Over time, inflammation can trigger scars or the growth of hard tissue inside the bile ducts.

The scarring makes the ducts hard and narrow and block smaller ducts.

Environmental causes of both forms of cholangitis are:
1. Infections
2. Smoking
3. Chemicals

The 3 symptoms present in about 70% of patients with cholangitis are abdominal pain, fever, and jaundice and are known as Charcot's triad.

While they may all be present in a person with cholangitis with hypotension and changes in a person's mental status, this is known as Reynold's Pentad.

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) can detect gallbladder and bile duct disorders.

Quick diagnosis and treatment are very important in cholangitis.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Cholangitis
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis
Chapter 5 Treatment
Chapter 6 Prognosis
Chapter 7 Acalculous Cholecystopathy
Chapter 8 Cholecystitis
Epilogue

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Jul 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005070083

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

A

Simple

Guide

To

Cholangitis,

Diagnosis,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2021 Smashwords Edition

Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes Cholangitis, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.

(What You Need to Treat Cholangitis)

This e-Book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

I have been writing medical articles for my blog: http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Disorder) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

I then wrote an autobiography account of my journey as a medical student to family doctor on my other blog: http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

This autobiography account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://kenkee481.wordpress.com.

From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 800 eBooks.

Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

The later books go into more details of medical disorders.

The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

As I tried to bring the patient the latest information about a disorder or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.

I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

Chapter 1

Cholangitis

What is Cholangitis?

Acute cholangitis is normally produced by a bacterial infection of the bile duct happening from stagnation of the bile in the duct.

Choledocholithiasis which is a gallstone that becomes stuck or lodged in the bile duct can produce an obstruction that results in an infection.

Less often infections can happen caused by a stricture or narrowing of the duct itself such as in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis or may be linked with a cancer.

There is a blockage of the free flow of the bile producing a stagnant disorder which allows the bacteria to take hold.

The most common cause of cholangitis is infection of the bile ducts due to blockage by a gallstone.

Strictures (portions of ducts that have become narrow) also function in the same way.

Strictures may be due to congenital (birth) abnormalities of the bile ducts, form as a result