Point-of-Care Ultrasound Assisting in the Rapid Diagnosis of Acute Cholangitis 60 Years After Cholecystectomy

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is used frequently to evaluate the right upper quadrant of patients with high suspicion for biliary pathology. In patients with a history of cholecystectomy, the utility of POCUS can be overlooked. We report the case of an 83-year-old female patient who was ultimatel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of emergency medicine 2022-01, Vol.62 (1), p.e8-e10
Main Authors: Georges, Nikkitta, Ford, Carissa, Moreno, Moises, Zagroba, Sara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged, 80 and over
Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde
cholangitis
Cholangitis - diagnostic imaging
Cholangitis - etiology
Cholecystectomy - adverse effects
Female
Humans
Point-of-Care Systems
Ultrasonography
ultrasound
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Summary:Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is used frequently to evaluate the right upper quadrant of patients with high suspicion for biliary pathology. In patients with a history of cholecystectomy, the utility of POCUS can be overlooked. We report the case of an 83-year-old female patient who was ultimately diagnosed with cholangitis more than 60 years after undergoing cholecystectomy. POCUS demonstrated a dilated common bile duct (CBD), which was confirmed by computed tomography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography to be due to a large stone. Choledocholithiasis and cholangitis can still occur in patients with a remote history of cholecystectomy. POCUS can be used to rapidly evaluate the CBD for dilatation in patients post cholecystectomy.
ISSN:0736-4679
2352-5029
DOI:10.1016/j.jemermed.2021.07.001