Diagnosis and treatment of gallstone ileus

Gallstone ileus is a rare mechanical ileus, which was caused by discharge of giant gall bladder stone to the intestine. Understanding the causes of ileus is the key factor for treatment, and surgical treatment is the treatment of choice. An old patient with gallstone ileus was admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in April 2013. Preoperative X ray detection and computed tomography showed gallbladder wall thickening, formation of a sinus tract between the gall bladder and the duodenum, and intestinal ileus in the left iliac region (the diameter of the stone was about 4 cm). The patient received medical treatment for 3 days and then exploratory laparotomy+lithotomy. Gall bladder stones were not detected during the operation, so the gall bladder was preserved. The patient was followed up till December 2013, the sinus tract was disappeared under B sonography, and the cholecystitis was cured.