A client is concerned about the risk of developing cholecystitis due to a family history of gallstones. Which of the following explanations should the nurse provide regarding the genetic predisposition to gallstone formation?

Choice A reason:

Resuming a regular diet immediately after a cholecystectomy may be too heavy for the digestive system, which is still recovering from the surgery.

Choice B reason:

This statement is correct. Following a low-fat diet for several weeks after a cholecystectomy can reduce the strain on the digestive system and allow the body to adjust to the absence of the gallbladder.

Choice C reason:

While protein is essential for wound healing, a high-protein diet is not specifically recommended for a client recovering from a cholecystectomy.

Choice D reason:

Avoiding all solid foods for 24 hours after the surgery is unnecessary and may lead to nutritional deficits. The client can gradually resume a low-fat, solid diet after the surgery.

A. Mild, intermittent right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain is more characteristic of chronic cholecystitis rather than acute cholecystitis, which typically presents with severe pain.
B. Left lower quadrant (LLQ) pain with rebound tenderness is more indicative of conditions like diverticulitis, not acute cholecystitis.
C. Severe, colicky abdominal pain radiating to the right shoulder is the most common presentation of acute cholecystitis, often caused by gallbladder inflammation and obstruction of the cystic duct. The pain is due to irritation of the phrenic nerve, which supplies both the gallbladder and right shoulder.
D. Epigastric pain worsened by fatty meals is often seen in gallbladder disease but is more characteristic of biliary colic rather than acute cholecystitis.