A Fatal Complication: Intestinal Perforation Secondary to Migration of a Biliary Stent

BACKGROUND: Stent insertion is widely performed to restore biliary drainage in hepatic, biliary, and pancreatic obstructive conditions. Intestinal perforation due to the migration of these stents is an extremely rare late-term complication that is associated with a high rate of mortality. The current report aimed at presenting the radiological findings of a case of extraluminal biliary stent migration into the pelvic region that caused intestinal perforation. CASE REPORT: We report a case of an 85-year-old male with a history of previous stent insertion who presented with a sudden – onset severe abdominal pain. An abdominal multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) revealed a tubular foreign body density, compatible with intestinal perforation due to migration of the biliary stent. CONCLUSIONS: Biliary stent insertion becomes a more common procedure. This serious complication must always be remembered in patients presenting with abdominal pain after stent insertion.