Gallstone Ileus Post-cholecystectomy

Gallstone ileus is a rather rare condition and in most cases it involves a cholecysto-enteric fistula, through which a gallstone passes into the bowel. If the gallstone is large enough it may obstruct the bowel and a gallstone ileus emerges. In the presented case, the patient was subjected to a cholecystectomy over 40 years ago, but despite this, he developed a gallstone ileus. A gallstone that obstructed the small bowel was suspected with computed tomography and confirmed with exploratory laparotomy. Although a few cases of gallstone ileus after cholecystectomy are described in the literature, our case describes a unique pathogenic mechanism.