A long-standing inflammation of the gallbladder. Causes, Incidence and Risk Factors 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. Cholecystectomy can be performed as an open or laparoscopic procedure. For patients who are poor surgical risks because of other diseases or conditions, the symptoms of chronic indigestion can be managed by low fat diets and weight reduction . Antacids and anticholinergic medications may also be helpful. The death rate is low for cholecystectomy .