Gallstone ileus presenting as intussusception: A case report

BackgroundGallstone ileus is a complication of acute cholecystitis that accounts for 25% of bowel obstruction cases in the elderly. To our knowledge, only one other case of gallstone ileus presenting as intussusception has been reported in the literature, and involved non-operative management with an unfavorable outcome.Case presentationHere we report the case of 69 year old woman presenting with symptoms of acute small bowel obstruction with a surgical history significant for cholecystectomy 30 years prior. Computed tomographic imaging showed a target sign in the small bowel consistent with intussusception, but intraoperative diagnosis revealed this to be a gallstone. A simple enterolithotomy was conducted and the patient has since been symptom free.DiscussionGallstone ileus has a high mortality rate (12–17%) and is an important differential diagnosis to consider, especially as the elderly population throughout the world continues to grow.ConclusionAs radiographic features of gallstones are variable we suggest maintaining a high index of suspicion for gallstone ileus in any elderly patient presenting with SBO, even with a seemingly contradictory surgical history.     

Gallstone ileus associated with cholecystogastric fistula: Case report,diagnosis and surgical treatment

IntroductionGallstone Ileus is a rare complication of cholelithiasis, associated with multiple episodes of cholecystitis, with the formation of adhesions and fistulas between the gallbladder and adjacent organs. Its diagnosis is difficult, requiring complementary imaging tests such as computed tomography or radiography.Presentation of caseFemale patient, with intestinal obstruction for 7 days, associated with abdominal pain and previous episodes of pain in the right hypochondrium for 3 months. Abdominal CT scan identified aerobilia, gallstone impacted in the ileocecal valve and small loop dilatation, in addition to a probable cholecystogastric fistula. Opted for exploratory laparotomy, enterolithotomy and fistula correction in one surgical time.DiscussionGallstone ileus is rare among the complications of cholelithiasis, in addition to the fact that cholecystogastric fistula is associated with gastric pylorus obstruction and not impaction on the ileocecal valve. Imaging tests are useful to complement the diagnosis, and if Rigler's triad is present, the suspicion of gallstone ileus is increased. The presence of fistula between the gallbladder and stomach presents a frequency between 0 and 13.3%. There is no gold standard treatment for gallstone ileus, but surgery options for each type of patient and severity level.ConclusionThere is no definitive protocol for optimal surgical treatment for biliary ileus, but the possibility of enterolithotomy associated with cholecystectomy and fistula correction can be evaluated in selected patients.     

Resolution of Gallstone Ileus with Spontaneous Evacuation of Gallstone: A Case Report

Gallstone ileus is an infrequent complication of cholelithiasis. The formation of a fistula between the gallbladder and duodenum may allow a gallstone to enter the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Gallstone ileus generally occurs in the elderly patients and is associated with significant mortality. Spontaneous resolution of gallstone ileus after passage of gallstone per rectally, though rare, has been reported Farooq et al. (Emerg Radiol 4(6):421–423, 2007). We describe a 60-year-old woman who presented with a 3-day history of vomiting, pain, distension and constipation .Radiological investigations revealed dilatation of small bowel loops with multiple air fluid levels with a large lamellated radio-opaque density measuring 4.4 cm × 4 cm seen in the right iliac fossa. A possibility of gallstone ileus was kept. Because of co-morbid conditions (post-myocardial infarct with cardiac failure), surgery could not be done and patient was kept on conservative management. Three days later patient had sudden relief of her symptoms after passing a large calculus per rectally suggesting a spontaneous evacuation of gallstone. This case highlights the possibility of spontaneous resolution of gallstone ileus after the passage of gallstone. It has been reported in stones less than 2.5 cm. However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time in which a large stone measuring 4 cm × 3.8 cm passed spontaneously.     

Gallstone ileus: revisiting surgical outcomes using National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data

Background

Although surgical management remains the mainstay of therapy for gallstone ileus, the optimal approach—enterolithotomy alone or combined with biliary-enteric fistula disruption—is controversial because of the reliance on small single-center series to describe outcomes. Using the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we sought to (1) review the outcomes of patients undergoing surgical management of gallstone ileus and (2) determine if cholecystectomy in addition to enterolithotomy increased morbidity or mortality rate.

Methods

We analyzed the demographics, comorbidities, acuity, operative time, postoperative hospitalization length, and 30-d morbidity and mortality rates of 127 patients from 2005 to 2010 who underwent a procedure for the relief of gallstone ileus. We identified a subset of 14 patients who underwent simultaneous cholecystectomy. We compared the “no cholecystectomy” and “cholecystectomy” groups using standard statistical methods.

Results

The overall 30-d postoperative morbidity and mortality rate was 35.4% and 5.5%, respectively. Superficial surgical site infection and urinary tract infection were the most common complications. There was no significant difference in mortality rate between the no cholecystectomy and the cholecystectomy groups (5.3% versus 7.1%, respectively; P = 0.78), but the latter group did experience more minor complications, longer operations, and longer postoperative hospitalization.

Conclusions

Other recent studies on this topic have collected data or reviewed literature across several decades, making this study in particular one of the largest truly modern series. Perhaps reflecting changes in perioperative management, surgical treatment of gallstone ileus is less morbid than previously described, but there is still insufficient evidence to favor concurrent cholecystectomy.     

Gallstone ileus associated with Crohn's disease

Gallstone ileus in association with Crohn's disease of the terminal ileum is a surprisingly uncommon occurrence. The diseased ileal segment may be responsible for gallstone lithogenesis as well as for luminal stenosis that prevents gallstone passage. We report only the third case of gallstone ileus in Crohn's disease and the first to be correctly diagnosed before surgery. The patient was successfully managed by planned ileal resection and cholecystectomy.     

Gallstone ileus as a complication of cholecystolithiasis

Biliary fistula and gallston ileus are rarely found. The diagnosis is difficult. Gallstone ileus requires urgent and appropriate surgical therapy. Enterolitotomy remains the gold standard of operative treatment for gallstone ileus, but additional procedures of one-stage cholecystectomy and repair of fistula are necessary. Some researchers advise first to resolve the gallstone ileus and then to perform the elective operation for gallstone disease in more ideal circumstances. Our case had clinical evidence of ileus, which was confirmed by radiological exam. Ultrasonographic examination performed before operation did not confirm the presence of gallbladder; it did not detect a large stone located in the intestine. The patient, a 75-year-old woman, was operated on. During the procedure it was shown that the second part of the duodenum was involved in a scar and displaced to the hepatic hilus. There was no gallbladder; it was probably destroyed by a long-lasting vesicoduodenal fistula. Cholangiography also did not detect the gallbladder. Biliary passage through the common bile duct was sufficient. The hole in the duodenum wall was sutured, and Kehr drain was inserted into the common bile duct. The gallstone was removed by incision of the intestine down to the obstruction. The postoperative period was complicated by a small suppuration of the laparotomy wound. Vesicoduodenal fistula present for a long time can lead to atrophy of the gallbladder. The one-stage procedure seems to be appropriate if biliary fistula and gallstone ileus are found.     

Gallstone ileus associated with impaction at Meckel’s diverticulum: Case report and literature review

Gallstone ileus due to erosion of one or more gallstones into the gastrointestinal tract is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction. The site of impaction is usually distal ileum, and less commonly the jejunum, colon, duodenum, or stomach. We report a rare case of gallstone ileus with impaction at the proximal small bowel and at a Meckel’s diverticulum (MD) in a 64-year-old woman managed with laparoscopic converted to open small bowel resections. Patient was discharged home in stable condition and remained asymptomatic at 6-mo follow up. We review the current literature on surgical approaches to MD and gallstone ileus. Diverticulectomy or segmental resection is preferred for complicated MD. For gallstone ileus, simple enterolithotomy or segmental resection are the most the most favored especially in older co-morbid patients due to lower mortality rates and the rarity of recurrent gallstone ileus. In addition, laparoscopy has been increasingly reported as a safe approach to manage gallstone ileus.     

Gallstone ileus associated with impaction at Meckel's diverticulum:Case report and literature review

Gallstone ileus due to erosion of one or more gallstones into the gastrointestinal tract is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction. The site of impaction is usually distal ileum, and less commonly the jejunum, colon, duodenum, or stomach. We report a rare case of gallstone ileus with impaction at the proximal small bowel and at a Meckel's diverticulum(MD) in a 64-yearold woman managed with laparoscopic converted to open small bowel resections. Patient was discharged home in stable condition and remained asymptomatic at 6-mo follow up. We review the current literature on surgical approaches to MD and gallstone ileus. Diverticulectomy or segmental resection is preferred for complicated MD. For gallstone ileus, simple enterolithotomy or segmental resection are the most the most favored especially in older co-morbid patients due to lower mortality rates and the rarity of recurrent gallstone ileus. In addition, laparoscopy has been increasingly reported as a safe approach to manage gallstone ileus.     

Gallstone Ileus: Diagnosis and Management

BACKGROUND: Gallstone ileus is a rare complication of cholelithiasis, mostly in the elderly. It accounts for 1%-4% of mechanical bowel obstruction and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We present our experience of gallstone ileus and discuss current opinion as reported in the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of medical records of patients in our institution coded for gallstone ileus by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD K-563) coding system between January 1998 and December 2005. RESULTS: There were 22 patients with mean age of 77 (58-92) years and a female to male ratio of 4.5:1. Most patients presented with abdominal pain and vomiting, with a median duration of symptoms of 3 (1-28) days. Preoperative diagnosis was made in 77% from a combination of plain x-ray, ultrasonography, and computed tomography (CT) scans; 86.4% of the patients belonged to ASA class of 3 or 4. Twenty patients underwent enterolithotomy alone, and two had one-stage procedure. The mean size of impacted stones was 3.6 (2.5-4.5) cm, with location in the terminal ileum in 17 and jejunum in 5 patients. There were 5 perioperative deaths and an episode of cholangitis occurring in one patient 18 months after enterolithotomy alone. CONCLUSIONS: Gallstone ileus is a difficult clinical entity to diagnose. Unreserved use of imaging techniques can improve diagnostic accuracy and speed of therapeutic decision making. Management of gallstone ileus must be individualized. The one-stage procedure should be offered only to highly selected patients with good cardiorespiratory reserve and with absolute indications for biliary surgery at the time of presentation.     

Comparison of Surgical Treatments of Gallstone Ileus: Preliminary Report

Abstract Gallstone ileus is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction, accounting for only 1% to 4% of all intestinal obstructions. In the group of patients over 65 years of age, gallstones cause about 25% of all non-strangulated obstructions of the small bowel. Gallstone ileus is burdened with high mortality rate, ranging from 12% to 18%, and most patients are of advanced age, with many other concomitant diseases that may increase the operative risk. The purpose of this study was to compare the two investigated surgical procedures: treatment of intestinal obstruction alone or combined with urgent cholecystectomy and fistula repair. Analysis of 30 patients undergoing operation for gallstone ileus at the Clinical Hospital “Sestre milosrdnice” between 1985 and 2001 is presented. Patients were treated either for ileus alone (group 1, 11 patients) or as one-stage procedure with urgent fistula closure (group 2, 19 patients). Operating time was significantly longer for the one-stage procedure. Complications occurred in 3 of 11 patients (27.3%) from group 1 and in 11 of 18 patients (61.1%) from group 2 (one tailed, p = 0.043). One patient in group 1 died and two patients in group 2 died. Urgent fistula repair was significantly associated with the occurrence of complications (odds ratio [OR] 12.1, 95% confidence internal [95% CI] 1.2–121.5). Simple enterotomy should be the procedure of choice for patients with gallstone ileus. The one-stage procedure including urgent fistula repair should be reserved only for highly selected patients with absolute indications.     

Gallstone ileus in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A case report

Introduction and importanceGallstone ileus is a rare disease that most commonly occurs in elderly females with a history of cholelithiasis. It has not been previously associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS); a neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects the motor neurons at the spinal and bulbar levels. Autonomic malfunction, in particular, gastrointestinal dysfunction has been documented in ALS patients which may predispose this population to the development of gallstones and gut dysmotility.Case presentationIn this paper, we report a case of gallstone ileus in a patient with diagnosed ALS. We performed an exploratory laparotomy, enterolithotomy, and an open cholecystectomy with takedown/closure of a cholecystoduodenal fistula. The patient had a relatively uncomplicated postoperative course and was discharged from the hospital on postoperative day nine.Clinical discussionDelays in gastric emptying and colonic transit times in ALS patients may pose a risk for the development of gallstones and the potential impaction of a gallstone ileus in patients who are left untreated. Multifactorial evaluation of this patient population is necessary when assessing a potential causal pattern of gallstone ileus in patients with significant comorbidities.ConclusionWe present an unusual pathology without an established incidence, which has pertinent multidisciplinary implications. The suspicion of ALS as a potential cause for the development of a gallstone ileus is relevant and essential in the diagnostic workup for an elderly patient who develops a small bowel obstruction with multi-comorbidities.     

Gallstone Ileus Causing Perforation of the Sigmoid Colon

A rare case of a cholecystocolonic fistula causing gallstone ileus with perforation of the sigmoid colon is described.     

Gallstone ileus. A case report from Baragwanath Hospital

Gallstone ileus is a rare complication of cholelithiasis and even rarer in negroid people, in whom cholelithiasis is far less common than in Whites. A case of gallstone ileus in a Black patient is reported. The clinical presentation was typical and spontaneous resolution with rectal passage of the calculus occurred on conservative management.     

Gallstone ileus

Aetiopathogenesis, diagnosis as well as typical and atypical courses are described and discussed with regard to 50 patients with gallstone ileus. Overall lethality amounted to 36 per cent, including 15 per cent for patients with enterotomy alone and 53 per cent for patients who had undergone enterotomy with faecal aspiration. Postoperative complications were recorded from 78 per cent of the survivors.     

Gallstone obstruction and perforation of the duodenal bulb.

A case of gallstone ileus is presented in which the stone became impacted in the first part of the duodenum and then caused perforation at the site of impaction. This is only the second published British case of gallstone impaction at this site. Perforation of the duodenum by a gallstone has not previously been recorded. The clinical and radiological features of this case are discussed.     

Gallstone Ileus After Biliointestinal Bypass: Report of Two Cases

Introduction

Gallstone ileus is an uncommon disease and accounts for 1–4 % of all cases of mechanical intestinal obstruction. The physiopathology is related to the presence of a bilioenteric fistula.

Method

We report two cases of gallstone ileus in patients operated on biliointestinal bypass for morbid obesity. The anastomosis of the gallbladder to the proximal end of the bypassed jejunum allowed the transit of gallstones in the excluded ileum and its impaction in anti-reflux valvular system.

Results

Preoperative exams were unable to solve the diagnostic query, and the diagnosis was achieved only at laparotomy. One-stage combined enterolithotomy and cholecystectomy were performed.

Conclusion

The two patients had an uneventful recovery. To our knowledge, this is the first report of gallstone ileus after biliointestinal bypass.     

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.     

Gallstone ileus in the absence of the gallbladder: case report and review of the literature

Although small-bowel obstruction due to gallstone ileus is uncommon, it assumes increasing importance with advancing age. The obstructing gallstone enters the bowel through an internal fistula between gallbladder and duodenum. The authors describe the case of a patient who had undergone cholecystectomy and in whom gallstone ileus occurred secondary to a stone that entered the bowel through a choledochoduodenal fistula. Treatment was traditional with removal of the obstructing stone, but the fistula was left undisturbed. The authors believe that further biliary tract symptoms are unlikely. The patient was well 8 weeks after operation and roentgenograms indicated that the internal biliary fistula was patent.     

Gallstone ileus diagnosed preoperatively using ultrasonic tomography

We treated a man with gallstone ileus and a correct diagnosis was made preoperatively. In this report, emphasis was placed on the usefulness of application of ultrasonic tomography for diagnosing an acute abdomen.     

Gallstone ileus diagnosed preoperatively using ultrasonic tomography

We treated a man with gallstone ileus and a correct diagnosis was made preoperatively. In this report, emphasis was placed on the usefulness of application of ultrasonic tomography for diagnosing an acute abdomen.