Spilled Gallstones: the Source of an Enigma

Spillage of gallstones may occur in the course of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The incidence of this mishap and its consequences are variable. Ignored by many surgeons, stone spillage may be the source of significant morbidity many years after surgery. In this report, we describe the clinical course of a patient who presented with upper abdominal pain and swelling. The past history was positive for laparoscopic cholecystectomy 15 years earlier. After excision, the swelling was found to be a pseudocyst formed around spilled gallstones during a previous cholecystectomy. Apart from postoperative wound infection, the patient recovered well and remains so. Here, we discuss the problem and provide suggestions for spillage prevention and stone retrieval once spillage occurs.