Subacute intestinal obstruction by enterolith: a case study.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Enteroliths are uncommon in humans, rarely causing subacute intestinal obstruction.
• They typically form secondary to stasis in conditions like strictures, diverticula, or blind loops.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of subacute intestinal obstruction caused by a primary enterolith.
• To emphasize the importance of considering enteroliths in the differential diagnosis of intestinal obstruction.

Main Methods:

• A 40-year-old male presented with chronic abdominal pain.
• Diagnostic imaging (barium meal, CT abdomen) revealed an enterolith causing distal ileal obstruction.
• Surgical exploration identified multiple ileal strictures; the enterolith was removed, followed by resection and anastomosis.

Main Results:

• A primary enterolith was identified as the cause of subacute intestinal obstruction.
• The enterolith formed within a segment of the ileum situated between two strictures, leading to stasis.
• Histopathology confirmed inflammatory infiltrates in the resected ileal segment.

Conclusions:

• Enteroliths, though rare, must be considered in the evaluation of intestinal obstruction.
• Primary enterolith formation due to stasis in ileal strictures is a plausible etiology for obstructive symptoms.