Gallstone Ileus: An Unusual Cause of Small Bowel Obstruction: A Case Report

Gallstone ileus represents a rare complication of chronic cholelithiasis and is considered a mechanical bowel obstruction caused by one or more gallstones becoming lodged in the gastrointestinal tract. The etiology of gallstone ileus is due to the transit of a calculum through a cholecystointestinal fistula. In all cases of acute abdomen, diagnostic suspicion and appropriate first surgical treatment are important for an adequate clinical progression due to its low incidence. On other hand, due to the high incidence of gallstones, such situations may arise in ordinary clinical practices, and clinicians should evaluate gallstone ileus as a possible cause of bowel obstruction. However, because of the poor general health of ileus patients, choosing an appropriate treatment is challenging, and clinicians must make a decision on which surgery to perform. We present a case of an elderly patient who presented to our emergency department with gallstone ileus that received a prompt diagnosis and urgent surgical resolution.