Laparoscopic management of gallstone ileus: A case report and literature review

Introduction and importanceGallstone ileus is an uncommon complication of cholelithiasis. It is usually presented as a small bowel obstruction. Elderly patients are commonly affected. The diagnosis is challenging, since needs a high index of suspicion and imagenology is key. Surgery is the mainstay management, most commonly performed by laparotomy, but laparoscopy is summing cases. Nevertheless the approach is still controversial. We report a gallstone ileus case, that was managed totally laparoscopic in our medium complex public institution.Case presentationAn 71 years-old male patient, with symptomatic cholelithiasis, consulted in emergency department with symptoms and signs of small bowel obstruction. Computed tomography of abdomen and pelvis showed the classical Rigler's triad. Totally laparoscopic enterolithotomy alone was performed successfully. Postoperative evolution was without incidents, being discharge at fifth day.Clinical discussionGallstone ileus represents around 0,3–0,5% of cholelithiasis complications. Mostly affect elderly women patients, with comorbidities. Mortality and morbidity is still high nowadays. The classical management of gallstone ileus is the open surgery, but the laparoscopic approach has been described and it can be done.ConclusionThe laparoscopic management of gallstone ileus is effective and secure procedure and seems reasonable to attempt if the conditions and skills are available.     

胆石性肠梗阻五例报告并文献复习

目的 探讨胆石性肠梗阻的临床特点及诊治方法.方法 回顾性分析5例胆石性肠梗阻患者的临床资料,并复习2000-2009年国内相关文献,对胆石性肠梗阻的发病情况、临床表现、影像学检查、诊断及治疗情况进行总结.结果 本组5例患者中4例为60岁以上女性,其中3例有胆石病史,胆石经胆囊十二指肠瘘排入肠道 另2例有胆肠内引流术史,胆石经内引流口排入肠道.4例行肠切开取石并肠道胆道彻底手术,另1例行单纯肠切开取石 5例患者均手术治愈,术后无复发病例.国内文献复习共获取胆石性肠梗阻有效病例441例,占所有肠梗阻的1.15%,其中女性患者占67.12%,老年患者占73.56%.87.92%的胆石是经胆肠内瘘口排入肠道 64.17%的梗阻位于回肠.术前有71.89%的患者误诊为其他类型肠梗阻.225例行肠切开取石并肠道胆道彻底性手术,其术后复发率及胆囊癌变率低于216例行单纯肠切开取石患者（均P＜0.05） 而术后胆肠瘘、切口感染、肺部感染、治愈率及死亡率两种术式间差异则无统计学意义（均P＞0.05）.结论 胆石性肠梗阻发病率低,以老年女性多见 胆石多经胆肠内瘘口进入肠道,梗阻部位以回肠多见.单纯肠切开取石术后有一定的复发及胆囊癌变风险,故若患者全身情况允许,应首选肠切开取石并胆道肠道彻底性手术.     

El íleo biliar como causa de abdomen agudo. Importancia del diagnóstico precoz para el tratamiento quirúrgico

Gallstone ileus is an uncommon type of mechanical intestinal obstruction caused by an intraluminal gallstone, and preoperative diagnosis is difficult in the Emergency department. This study is a retrospective analysis of the clinical presentation of 5 patients with gallstone ileus treated between 2000-2010. Clinical features, diagnostic testing, and surgical treatment were analyzed. Five patients were included: 2 cases showed bowel obstruction; 2 patients presented a recurrent gallstone ileus with prior surgical intervention; and one patient presented acute peritonitis due to perforation of an ileal diverticula. In all cases CT confirmed the preoperative diagnosis. In our experience, gallstone ileus may present with clinical features other than intestinal obstruction. In suspicious cases CT may be useful to decrease diagnostic delay, which is associated with more complications.     

Laparoscopic management of gallstone ileus.

Gallstone ileus is an uncommon entity that was first described by Bartholin in 1654. Despite advances in perioperative care, morbidity and mortality remain high in patients with gallstone ileus because: 1) they are geriatric patients; 2) they often have multiple comorbidities; 3) presentation to the hospital is delayed; 4) many are volume depleted with electrolyte abnormalities; and 5) the diagnosis of gallstone ileus is difficult to make. Traditional management has entailed open laparotomy with relief of intestinal obstruction by enterotomy and stone extraction. Cholecystectomy and takedown of the cholecystoenteric fistula can be performed. We propose an alternative method of management in an attempt to limit operative trauma and improve morbidity and mortality. We review the literature and describe two patients with gallstone ileus who were managed laparoscopically. One patient underwent laparoscopic assisted enterolithotomy, and the other patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with disimpaction of the gallstone into the large bowel. They were discharged after their ileus had resolved on the fourth and sixth postoperative day, respectively. Laparoscopy is a powerful diagnostic and therapeutic tool that can be effectively used to treat gallstone ileus.     

胆囊十二指肠瘘伴胆石性肠梗阻1例分析并文献复习

目的:探讨胆囊十二指肠瘘合并胆石性肠梗阻的术前评估、诊断和手术方式。方法:回顾性分析1例胆囊十二指肠瘘合并胆石性肠梗阻术前及术中的临床资料,并复习相关文献。结果:患者术前CT检查考虑胆囊结石与胆石性肠梗阻。术中探查见回盲部40cm处结石嵌顿,随后成功行肠切开取石、十二指肠瘘口修补、胆囊切除。术后痊愈出院,随访至目前未见相关并发症。结论:胆囊十二指肠瘘合并胆石性肠梗阻临床罕见,早期的明确诊断及精确的评估是关键,应根据患者具体情况选择合适的手术方式。     

Bouveret's syndrome. An unusual localization of gallstone ileus

This case report describes a 77-year-old male, who presented to the emergency room with symptoms of an acute proximal small bowel obstruction. Abdominal CT scan with multi-planar reconstructions led to the diagnosis of an intestinal obstruction due to impaction of a large gallstone in the second portion of the duodenum. The CT scan demonstrated a large cholecysto-duodenal fistula as the origin of the gallstone migration. Surgical treatment consisted of milking the stone down beyond the ligament of Treitz, where it was removed through a jejunal enterotomy. The postoperative course was uncomplicated. No attempt was made to repair the choledocho-duodenal fistula at the initial intervention nor subsequently, and there have been no complications due to the fistula over 36 months of follow-up observation.     

Intestinal obstruction and ileus: role of computed tomography scan in diagnosis and management

A significant proportion of patients with intestinal obstruction will be evaluated with a CT scan of the abdomen. This study presents a group of 97 patients diagnosed with mechanical obstruction or ileus on CT scan over a 16-month period at a community based teaching hospital and follows the further management of these patients. Our study shows that 43.3 per cent of patients with mechanical obstruction, diagnosed by CT scan, eventually needed surgical treatment. On the other hand, even when CT indicates ileus, 20 per cent of these patients may still require surgical intervention.     

Enterolith Small-Bowel Obstruction Caused by Jejunal Diverticulosis: Report of a Case

We report the successful surgical treatment of intestinal obstruction caused by enteroliths formed in jejunal diverticula. A 78-year-old man with bowel obstruction of unknown etiology was initially managed conservatively, but suffered recurrence of the obstruction. Thus, we performed a laparotomy, which revealed multiple diverticula in the jejunum, with one enterolith inside a diverticulum and one enterolith in the terminal ileum. There was no abnormal communication between the gallbladder and the intestinal tract, excluding the possibility of a gallstone ileus. The stone in the terminal ileum could not be broken manually, so we performed an enterotomy to remove the stones. Intestinal obstruction caused by enteroliths in small-bowel diverticula is a rare event, which is difficult to diagnose and manage. To our knowledge, only 35 such cases have ever been reported.     

Gallstone ileus of the sigmoid colon: a rare complication of cholelithiasis

The authors report a case of gallstone ileus of the sigmoid colon in an 80-year-old woman admitted to the hospital with symptoms and signs of large bowel obstruction and asymptomatic cholelithiasis. Radiological investigation (abdominal X-ray and CT scan) showed a large gallstone impacted in the sigmoid colon. At first, the patient was managed conservatively, but the recurrence of the intestinal obstruction required open cholecystectomy, suturing of the colonic fistula and sigmoidectomy.     

Bouveret's Syndrome Complicated by Classic Gallstone Ileus: Progression of Disease or Iatrogenic?

Case Presentation

Bouveret's syndrome is a rare variant of gallstone ileus resulting in gastroduodenal obstruction from an impacted gallstone. We report two cases of Bouveret's syndrome that were complicated by classic (distal) gallstone ileus, which has previously been reported only twice. The first patient presented with vomiting, epigastric pain, and what was initially believed to be a duodenal diverticulum on computed tomography scan and endoscopy. He initially improved, but later developed symptoms of a small bowel obstruction. Repeat imaging revealed a classic distal gallstone ileus. The second patient presented with nausea, abdominal pain, and imaging consistent with Bouveret's syndrome. Multiple non-operative endoscopic techniques and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy were employed to fragment and retrieve the obstructing stone, and she subsequently developed a distal gallstone ileus from a stone fragment. Both patients were managed operatively with enterotomy and stone removal.

Discussion

These cases highlight a rare complication of Bouveret's syndrome, classic (distal) gallstone ileus, and juxtapose the natural history of a stone passing versus an iatrogenic etiology. We review the presentation and management of Bouveret's syndrome though no clear consensus exists as to the optimal treatment of these patients. We recommend that therapy should be decided on a case-by-case basis.     

胆石性肠梗阻的诊治(附11例临床分析)

目的探讨胆石性肠梗阻的临床特点和治疗方法. 方法我院1985年～2000年共收治胆石性肠梗阻11例,术前仅3例确诊.均经手术治疗,其中10例行肠管切开取石,1例因肠坏死切除坏死肠段.失访2例,余9例患者一期术后6～9月行胆囊切除和(或)内瘘修补术. 结果Ⅰ期手术后并发呼吸道感染2例,切口感染1例,随访结果显示Ⅱ期手术后9例患者均获治愈. 结论胆石性肠梗阻术前确诊率低,但及时的B超及X线检查有助于其早期诊断,分期手术治疗胆石性肠梗阻效果显著.     

Gallstone ileus,clinical presentation,diagnostic and treatment approach

Gallstone ileus is a mechanical intestinal obstruction due to gallstone impaction within the gastrointestinal tract. Less than 1% of cases of intestinal obstruction are derived from this etiology. The symptoms and signs of gallstone ileus are mostly nonspecific. This entity has been observed with a higher frequency among the elderly, the majority of which have concomitant medical illness. Cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic diseases should be considered as they may affect the prognosis. Surgical relief of gastrointestinal obstruction remains the mainstay of operative treatment. The current surgical procedures are:(1) simple enterolithotomy;(2) enterolithotomy, cholecystectomy and fistula closure(one-stage procedure); and(3) enterolithotomy with cholecystectomy performed later(two-stage procedure). Bowel resection is necessary in certain cases after enterolithotomy is performed. Large prospective laparoscopic and endoscopic trials are expected.     

Gallstone ileus as a complication of acute cholecystitis. Laparoscopic diagnosis and treatment

Gallstone ileus accounts for 1-4% of all cases of intestinal obstruction, with its incidence rising with age of patients. There is often a long delay between onset of symptoms (usually abdominal pain, vomiting, and bowel distension) and proper treatment, with a simple enterolithotomy as the one of choice. We report a case of an atypical gallstone ileus presented as a complication of acute cholecystitis, treated with a laparoscopic guided enterolithotomy. A 67-year-old woman on the 5th p.o. day after a laparoscopic procedure for an empyematous cholecystitis (no sign of fistula or duodenal perforation and a "negative" intraoperative cholangiography) presented continuous vomiting as the only symptoms of a subileus (radiographic diagnostic images negative for intestinal obstruction or intraluminal gallstone or duodenal fistula). A laparoscopic diagnostic approach revealed a gallstone in the distal jejunum. Through a 5 cm midline incision the intestine, including the gallstone, was brought out extracorporally and the stone was removed by a simple enterolithotomy. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient had no complaint at a 1-year follow-up. We consider the laparoscopic approach, in patients with "abdominal emergencies," feasible and safe in experienced hands. It provides diagnostic accuracy as well as therapeutic capabilities, as in the case of gallstone ileus we have reported.     

Recurrent gallstone ileus

We present the case of a recurrent gallstone ileus in a 76-year old female patient, which presented at our emergency department on January 15th 2015. In both episodes (January 16th and February 1st, 2015), only a simple enterotomy with stone extraction was performed. One year later, she is fully recovered and in good health. Recurrent gallstone ileus most often occurs in elderly patients with multiple co-morbidities. In our aging population, its prevalence is expected to increase. Because of the vague, intermittent symptoms, diagnosis of gallstone ileus is often delayed, contributing to its high mortality rate. CT-scan has become the preferred diagnostic imaging modality. Treatment should be individualized, with stone removal by enterotomy alone being the most commonly used strategy. For symptomatic patients, a two-stage procedure with urgent enterotomy followed by a delayed cholecystectomy can be considered. The one-stage procedure, in which enterotomy is combined with cholecystectomy and fistula closure, should be reserved for those few patients with minimal cholecystitis and in good overall condition.     

Gallstone obstruction of the intestine: an analysis of ten patients and a review of the literature

Ten patients with gallstone ileus were studied to evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The preoperative diagnosis was correct in four patients. All patients underwent laparotomy. In five patients, stones were removed by enterotomy and in three patients the obstruction was relieved by manual propulsion of the stones. One-stage small-bowel resection, cholecystectomy, and biliary enteric fistula repair were performed in two patients. Four patients had uneventful recovery. One episode of recurrent gallstone ileus was encountered. Three patients died of septic complications. It is concluded from the study and from a review of the literature that treatment should be aimed at relieving the obstruction, without performing additional surgical procedures, such as cholecystectomy and fistula repair. Secondary biliary surgery is to be performed only in patients with recurrent biliary disease.     

Successful treatment of Bouveret syndrome using holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy

Although gallstone disease is highly prevalent, cholelithiasis causing gallstone ileus is uncommon. Consideration has been given for nonoperative strategies to resolve obstruction due to the significant age and comorbidities afflicting this population. A 94-year-old man presented with a 5-day history of abdominal distension and tenderness. CT scan revealed multiple large gallstones within the gallbladder, pneumobilia, and two ectopic gallstones (antrum of the stomach and distal ileum). The patient was taken to the operating room where an enterolithotomy and gastrotomy was performed with removal of gallstones and subsequent relief of obstruction. During the postoperative course, the patient developed symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction and underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy for diagnosis and treatment. Two large gallstones, present in the duodenum, were retracted into the stomach using a Roth net but could not be retrieved beyond the upper esophageal sphincter. A holmium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Holmium: YAG) laser was used for fragmentation of the stones, with subsequent successful removal. This is the first documented successful use of the holmium: YAG laser for the treatment of recurrent gallstone ileus. Physicians should remember that in a small but important subgroup of patients, endoscopy accompanied by laser lithotripsy may prove beneficial.     

Gallstone ileus with multiple stones: Where Rigler triad meets Bouveret’s syndrome

A 53-year-old man with multiple medical conditions presented to the emergency department with complaints of vomiting, anorexia and diffuse colicky abdominal pain for 3 d. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis showed radiographic findings consistent with Rigler triad seen in small proportion of patients with small bowel obstruction secondary to gallstone impaction. In addition there was a gastric outlet obstruction, consistent with Bouveret’s syndrome. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy and enterotomy with multiple stones extracted. The patient had an uneventful post-surgical clinical course and was discharged home.     

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis in a child secondary to peritoneal dialysis

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, or “abdominal cocoon,” is a rare but serious complication of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. It is characterized by the diffuse appearance of marked sclerotic thickening of the peritoneal membrane resulting in intestinal obstruction.A 14-year-old adolescent boy with a history of end-stage renal failure on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis presented with symptoms of acute intestinal obstruction. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed distended small bowel loops clustered and displaced to the right upper quadrant. The overlying peritoneum was markedly thickened and calcified. Laparotomy confirmed the diagnosis of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis and the patient was treated with excision of the fibrocollagenous membrane. Postoperatively, he had prolonged ileus requiring parenteral nutritional support and peritoneal dialysis was restarted on postoperative day 10.A high degree of cognizance is needed to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of this uncommon and potentially life-threatening condition.     

从10例肠胆石性梗阻病例中所得的启示

目的 提高肠胆石性梗阻的诊断水平和手术处理技能.方法 回顾性分析1992年1月～2007年12月间湖南省人民医院肝胆科收治的10例肠胆石性梗阻病例的临床资料.结果 10例均经手术治疗,5例桥襻结石梗阻中,4例均施桥襻切开取石,1例肠坏死施桥襻切除重建,5例回肠胆石梗阻,胆石位于距回盲瓣20～30 cm,均施肠切开取石.8例获平均4年2个月随访.效果良好率达100%.结论 肠胆石性梗阻临床少见,易于误诊,肝胆管结石是其发病的基础,只掌握其临床特征才能正确诊断和处理.     

从10例肠胆石性梗阻病例中所得的启示

目的 提高肠胆石性梗阻的诊断水平和手术处理技能.方法 回顾性分析1992年1月～2007年12月间湖南省人民医院肝胆科收治的10例肠胆石性梗阻病例的临床资料.结果 10例均经手术治疗,5例桥襻结石梗阻中,4例均施桥襻切开取石,1例肠坏死施桥襻切除重建,5例回肠胆石梗阻,胆石位于距回盲瓣20～30 cm,均施肠切开取石.8例获平均4年2个月随访.效果良好率达100%.结论 肠胆石性梗阻临床少见,易于误诊,肝胆管结石是其发病的基础,只掌握其临床特征才能正确诊断和处理.