How Is Acute Cholangitis Treated?
Published: Dec 12, 2023
Treating acute cholangitis involves antibiotics and procedures to unblock the bile duct. Here's a closer look at the treatment steps and options available.
Contents
Initial Treatment Steps
Patients with suspected acute cholangitis are admitted to the hospital for monitoring and treatment. Initial steps include managing sepsis, providing supportive care, and starting broad-spectrum antibiotics to fight the infection.
Biliary Drainage Procedures
Biliary drainage is crucial to relieve the bile duct obstruction. Endoscopic sphincterotomy with stone extraction or stent placement is commonly performed. If endoscopic methods fail, percutaneous or surgical drainage may be considered.
Antibiotic Therapy
Empiric antibiotic regimens target bacteria commonly found in the bile duct. The choice of antibiotics depends on whether the infection is community-acquired or healthcare-associated. Therapy is adjusted based on culture results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Biliary drainage is a procedure to unblock the bile duct and prevent infection.
Antibiotics help to control the bacterial infection causing acute cholangitis.
Alternative methods like percutaneous or surgical drainage are considered.
Antibiotics are continued for four to five days after infection control.
Key Takeaways
Effective treatment of acute cholangitis involves timely intervention with antibiotics and drainage procedures to prevent severe complications.
Talk with Doctronic about the best treatment options for acute cholangitis today.Related Articles
References
Mosler P. Diagnosis and management of acute cholangitis. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2011; 13:166.
Solomkin JS, et al. Guidelines by the Surgical Infection Society. Clin Infect Dis 2010; 50:133.
Always discuss health information with your healthcare provider.