A Restless Stone

Gallstone ileus is an infrequent cause of mechanical small bowel obstruction. The mortality rate of gallstone ileus remains relatively high, since gallstone ileus usually presents on elderly patients with multiple underlying diseases. Typically, the way of gallstone migration to small bowel is through biliary-enteric flstula, which is a rare complication of chronic cholecystitis. Patients present with diffuse abdominal pain and vomiting when the gallstone lodges in distal small bowel. The goals of surgical intervention include release of the bowel obstruction and closure of biliary-enteric flstula.