Spontaneous relief of mechanical bowel obstruction in gallstone ileus

Abstract

We report the case of a 60-year-old female Libyan patient who presented with a three day history of vomiting, colicky abdominal pain, and constipation. She was dehydrated, tachycardiac, with a distended, tender abdomen and exaggerated bowel sounds. She had leucocytosis and an increased blood urea nitrogen level. Plain abdominal x-ray films showed dilated small bowel loops and pneumobilia. Ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) examinations confirmed the diagnosis of gallstone ileus. The obstruction was spontaneously relieved by passing the stone into the cecum.