Chronic cholecystitis is caused by repeated mild attacks of acute cholecystitis , leading to thickening of the walls of the gallbladder and shrinking of the gallbladder. The gallbladder eventually loses the ability to concentrate and store bile . Eating fatty food may aggravate the symptoms. The disease occurs more often in women than in men, and the incidence increases after the age of 40.
Risk factors are a previous history of acute cholecystitis.
The incidence is 7 out of 10,000 people. The condition is not always preventable. People who have had an attack of acute cholecystitis but have not had their gallbladder removed should reduce the intake of fatty food. Weight reduction may also be beneficial for these people. Cholecystectomy can be performed as an open or laparoscopic procedure.