PAEA Surgery End Of Rotation (EOR) Practice Exam

Chronic cholecystitis is associated with which of the following symptoms?

1. Severe acute pain

2. Temporary pain with no fever

3. Sudden onset jaundice

4. Acute fever and nausea

The correct answer is: Temporary pain with no fever

Chronic cholecystitis is a condition characterized by long-standing inflammation of the gallbladder, typically due to repeated episodes of acute cholecystitis often linked to gallstones. The symptoms associated with chronic cholecystitis can be more subtle and may present as temporary or episodic pain, particularly in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Unlike acute cholecystitis, which can present with severe pain, fever, and other significant symptoms, chronic cholecystitis often results in milder symptoms that may not include fever or acute distress. The nature of the pain in chronic cholecystitis can be intermittent—occurring after certain foods, especially fatty meals—and it may not be accompanied by the acute severity typically seen in acute conditions. The absence of fever is also noteworthy, as chronic conditions often do not induce the systemic inflammatory response seen in acute situations. Because of these characteristics, the choice reflecting temporary pain without fever accurately captures the typical presentation of chronic cholecystitis, distinguishing it from other options which describe more acute presentations associated with gallbladder issues.