An Unusual Presentation of Gallstone Ileus: A Red-Herring or Missed Diagnosis

Gallstone Ileus Caused by Migration of Gallstone Through Cholecystoduodenal Fistula Resulting in Small Bowel Obstruction

Gallstone ileus is a rare condition characterized by mechanical obstruction of the intestine due to gallstone impaction. Diagnosis is based on clinical history, symptoms, and characteristic Computed Tomography (CT) scan findings. Treatment typically involves surgical extraction of gallstones, with laparoscopy as an effective and potentially safer approach. Here, we describe a case of an 84-year-old woman with gallstone ileus presenting with small bowel obstruction.

A rare case of gallstone ileus-the unanswered question

Gallstone ileus is caused by an impaction of one or more gallstones within the gastrointestinal tract leading to mechanical intestinal obstruction. It is a rare complication of cholelithiasis and found in 2–3% of all cases associated with recurrent episodes of cholecystitis. This case study demonstrates an atypical presentation of gallstone ileus. A 57-year-old woman was presented with abdominal pain and vomiting without previous history of gallstone disease. The features of gallstone ileus are evident on computed tomography. She underwent an emergency laparotomy and enterotomy for the removal of impacting gallstones, followed by an interval cholecystectomy and cholecystoduodenal fistula closure. This case report aims to explore the proper surgical management of gallstone ileus. Unfortunately, the question of whether interval biliary surgery should be performed remains unanswered, and surgeons will continue to make the decision based on their clinical judgement.

Gallstone Ileus: An Improbable Cause of Mechanical Small Bowel Obstruction

Gallstone ileus (GI) is a rare complication of cholelithiasis and a rare cause of small bowel obstruction. It usually affects elderly women and the symptoms are nonspecific, both contributing to a delay in diagnosis and a high mortality rate. It is necessary to have a high suspicion index for diagnosis and abdominal CT is the gold standard imaging for the diagnosis. We present a case report of an 87-year-old man who presented to the ED with abdominal pain and vomiting for the last 20 days. A GI was diagnosed and he underwent enterolithotomy to remove the stone. Unfortunately, the patient died on the 13th postoperative day with multiorgan failure. The treatment and the time at which it is performed must be adapted to each patient.

Gallstone ileus - the double challenge: case report and review of the literature

Gallstone ileus is a rare condition which occurs as an evolutive complication of biliary lithiasis. It occurs after stone migration from extrahepatic biliary tree to the digestive lumen, mostly through a biliary-enteric fistula. This condition involves repeated inflammatory relapses with the formation of local adhesions and generally requires a long evolution. The vast majority of patients with biliary ileus are third aged women who often have concomitant medical illnesses. Gallstone ileus surgery deals with the two components: bowel obstruction and biliary pole. Obstruction solving is approached as a surgical emergency and it requires an attitude adapted to the local situation. The attitude towards biliary surgery for gallstone ileus is a matter in debate. It could be one-stage surgery, elective surgery or expectancy and its choice is imposed by both local and general condition of the patient. We report the case of a middle-age woman whose first symptom of cholelithiasis was the gallstone ileus. Plain upright abdominal radiography revealed air-fluid levels with distended loops of the small bowel and pneumobilia. Laparotomy was decided and exploration revealed an impacted gallstone into the ileum and dense adhesions were found under the liver region. Enterolithotomy for gallstone removal was made. Postoperative evolution was uneventful with discharge on 7th day.