The key difference between gallstones and cholecystitis is that gallstones are a condition that causes the deposition of hardened bile in the gallbladder, while cholecystitis is a condition that causes the inflammation of the gallbladder.
Gallstones and cholecystitis are two related medical conditions that are due to defects in the gallbladder, which is a pear-shaped organ on the right side of the abdomen, beneath the liver. It has a special digestive fluid called bile, which is usually released into the small intestine. Most of the time, gallstones block the tube that leads out of the gallbladder. This causes a condition known as cholecystitis.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Gallstones
3. What is Cholecystitis
4. Similarities – Gallstones and Cholecystitis
5. Gallstones vs Cholecystitis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Gallstones vs Cholecystitis
What are Gallstones?
Gallstones are small stones that are normally made up of cholesterol. They are formed in the gallbladder. Gallstones range in size from small (as a grain) to large (as a golf ball). Some people only have one gallstone. Others may have many gallstones at the same time. There are two main types of gallstones; they are cholesterol stones and pigment stones. Cholesterol stones are usually yellow-green in colour and make up 80 % of gallstones. Pigment stones are small darker stones that are only made up of bilirubin. The signs and symptoms include pain in the upper abdomen, pain in the shoulder or back, upset stomach, vomiting, indigestion, heartburn, gas, yellow skin or eyes, fever and chills, dark urine, and light colour faeces. Moreover, gallstones are caused due excess cholesterol in the bile, excess bilirubin in the bile, or the gallbladder not emptying correctly.
Gallstones can be diagnosed through abdominal ultrasound, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), imaging scanning (CT scan and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)), and blood tests. Furthermore, treatment options for gallstones may include medications to dissolve gallstones, pain relief medications, and surgery to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy).
What is Cholecystitis?
Cholecystitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the gallbladder. Gallstones often block the tube leading out of the gallbladder. This results in inflammation. The other causes are bile duct problems, tumors, serious illness, and certain infections such as AIDS. The symptoms of cholecystitis may include severe pain in the upper abdomen or center abdomen, pain that spreads to the right shoulder or back, tenderness over the abdomen when touching, nausea, vomiting, and fever.
Cholecystitis can be diagnosed through blood tests, imaging tests such as abdominal ultrasound, endoscopic ultrasound, CT scan, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), and a scan that shows the movement of the bile throughout the body. Furthermore, treatment options for cholecystitis may include fasting, intravenous fluid, antibiotics, pain medications, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to remove stones, and gallbladder drainage (cholecystostomy).
What are the Similarities Between Gallstones and Cholecystitis?
- Gallstones and cholecystitis are two related medical conditions that happen due to defects in the gallbladder.
- Gallstones often cause cholecystitis.
- Both conditions may have similar symptoms, such as pain in the abdomen.
- They can be treated through pain medications and surgeries like cholecystectomy.
What is the Difference Between Gallstones and Cholecystitis?
Gallstones are a condition that causes the deposition of hardened bile in the gallbladder, while cholecystitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the gallbladder. Thus, this is the key difference between gallstones and cholecystitis. Furthermore, gallstones are caused due to excess cholesterol in the bile, excess bilirubin in the bile, or due to the gallbladder not emptying correctly. On the other hand, cholecystitis is caused by gallstones, bile duct problems, tumors, serious illness, and certain infections such as AIDS.
The below infographic presents the differences between gallstones and cholecystitis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Gallstones vs Cholecystitis
The gallbladder is a small organ that is located on the right side of the abdomen. Gallstones and cholecystitis are two related conditions that are due to problems in the gallbladder. Gallstones are a condition that causes the deposition of hardened bile in the gallbladder, while cholecystitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the gallbladder. So, this summarizes the difference between gallstones and cholecystitis.
Reference:
1. DiGiacinto, Jessica. “Gallstones: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and More.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 7 Oct. 2021.
2.“Cholecystitis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 9 Sept. 2022.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Small Gallstone” By Keith Roper (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Severe acute necrotizing cholecystitis, HE 1” By Patho – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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