Nurse Info CHOLECYSTOGRAPHY – Purpose, Preparation of the Patient, Procedure, After Care and Complications

CHOLECYSTOGRAPHY – Purpose, Preparation of the Patient, Procedure, After Care and Complications

UPDATED 2024

Cholecystography
is a test for gallbladder disease, done by visualizing the gallbladder.
Visualization of the gallbladder depends upon absorption of the dye from the
intestinal tract, isolation and excretion by the liver cells and a free passage
way from the liver to the gallbladder.

PURPOSE

• To detect gallstones
• To test the contractibility of the
  gallbladder
• To find out filling ability of the
  gallbladder
• To find out its ability to
  concentrate, its contents, and its condition when it is empty in normal states

PREPARATION OF THE PATIENT

• Explain the procedure to the patient
  to relieve tension and worries
• Stop medications which contain iodine
  compounds and bismuth three days prior to the test
• Check whether the patient is allergic
  to iodine or sea food before giving the dye
• Record the patient’s weight to
  calculate the dose of the dye
• The patient is given a low-fat
  evening meal to avoid gallbladder contraction. Thereafter, no food and water
  should be given to the patient until the X-ray examinations are complete
• The bowel is cleansed with saline
  enema
• The emergency drugs and resuscitation
  equipment should be kept ready to resuscitate the patient

PROCEDURE

• The patient is given a light diet at
  7 pm without fat
• A laxative like dulcolax is given to
  clear the bowels
• At 10 pm the patient is given 6
  telepaque tablets to swallow
• This dye is opaque to X-rays and is
  absorbed from the intestines, and is excreted by the liver
• When the gallbladder is normal, this
  dye gets concentrated in the gallbladder, which becomes visible by X-ray
• X-ray pictures are taken on the
  following day approximately 14, 18 and 19 hours after the drug has been
  administered, i.e. at 12 noon. 4 pm and 5 pm
• No food is given during this period
• Then, to test the contractibility of
  the gallbladder, the patient is fed with a fatty meal, one hour before the last
  X-rays taken at 12 noon and 4 pm, but it empties itself after the fatty meal
  taken at 4 pm and is, therefore, not visible in the X-ray taken at 5 pm
• An abnormal gallbladder may not get
  filled properly or may fail to empty itself

AFTER CARE

• Observe the patient for allergic
  reactions. Check the vital signs of the patient
• Accompany the patient throughout the
  procedure
• Make the patient comfortable

COMPLICATIONS

Severe
reactions to dye may lead to:

• Respiratory difficulty
• Urticaria
• Shock
• Collapse