The Diagnosis and Management of Recurrent Gallstone Ileus: A Case Report

Gallstone ileus is one of the rare and insidious causes of small bowel obstruction, which should always be kept in mind by clinicians, especially when encountering older people with a history of gallstones disease. The high mortality and morbidity rate associated with the condition can be mostly attributed to delayed or misdiagnosis. Imaging modalities, particularly CT scans, play an important role in correct and timely diagnosis. We present the case of a 65-year-old man with a two-year history of colicky biliary pain, who had severe abdominal pain with obstructive symptoms for five days before admission. The diagnosis of gallstone ileus is made using CT scan findings. Enterolithotomy alone was performed three days later. A second, smaller migrated gallstone was also found, which excreted spontaneously. After 20 days, the patient achieved full recovery and was discharged.