Subacute intestinal obstruction by enterolith: a case study

Enteroliths are an uncommon entity in humans and form a rare cause of subacute intestinal obstruction. They occur proximal to stricture or in a diverticulum or a blind loop due to stasis.

40 years male presenting with intermittent right lower abdominal pain since 1 year. Barium meal follow-through and CT abdomen diagnosed as a case of subacute intestinal obstruction with an enterolith in the distal ileal segment. On exploratory laparotomy multiple ileal strictures with mesenteric adhesions were noted. An enterolith was delivered from one of the segments between two strictures followed by segmental resection of the pathological ileal segment with ileo-ileal anastomoses. Histopathology of the ileal segment showed inflammatory infiltrates.

It was a case of a primary enterolith formed due to stasis between ileal strictures causing subacute intestinal obstruction.

An enterolith should also be considered while evaluating a case of intestinal obstruction as one of the rare differentials.