my mom obese 45 year old mother of four complains of pain in her right upper quadrant. She reports that nausea and vomiting often accompany the pain, which is especially noticeable when she eats a meal with high fat content. She added that she has a fever. Physical examination reveals a febrile, overweight woman wit involuntary guarding in the RUQ and cessation of inspiration on palpation of this area. what to do Dr?
Hi, I am so sorry to hear about your moms symptoms. But based on the symptoms you have listed and the physical signs you are describing, she seems to be suffering from Acute cholecystitis (Inflammation of the gall bladder) most probably due to gall stones. I would suggest you to get an ultrasound scan of the abdomen as soon as possible and also do blood tests to confirm the same. If the diagnosis is confirmed, then the current recommendation is to proceed immediately with a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This operation is routinely done in a number of surgical centers. If it has been more than 48 hours since the symptoms began, then I would suggest some painkillers and rest and plan for a cholecystectomy six weeks later once the inflammation subsides. Hope this helped and hope your mom starts feeling well soon. Please do not hesitate to contact me for further details if necessary - rxsuresh@gmail.com