acalculous cholecystitis

Acute acalculous cholecystitis, though rare, is most often seen in critically ill people in hospital intensive care units.

Isospora belli infection associated with acalculous cholecystitis in a patient with AIDS.

Cryptosporidium can migrate into the bile duct and result in inflammation of the biliary epithelium, causing acalculous cholecystitis, and sclerosing cholangitis (482).

Less commonly, in debilitated and trauma patients, the gallbladder may become inflamed and infected in the absence of cholelithiasis, and is known as acute acalculous cholecystitis.

Other conditions that should be considered are deep-vein thrombophlebitis, and pulmonary embolism, transfusion reactions, acalculous cholecystitis, thyroiditis, alcohol/drug withdrawal, adrenal insufficiency, pancreatitis.

Note that a palpable tender gallbladder may be seen in acute acalculous cholecystitis, which commonly follows trauma or ischemia and causes acute inflammation of the gallbladder in the absence of gallstones.