title: Unusual manifestations of gallstone migration into the gastrointestinal tract.
abstract: Eighty-one cases of mechanical small bowel obstruction were seen at our hospital in the three year period 1978 to 1980. Four (5%) were due to gallstone ileus, three of them in women. All four patients were more than 75 years of age. Because most patients with biliary-enteric fistulas and gallstone ileus are elderly and in poor general condition, simple removal of the obstruction gallstone is usually adequate, but interval cholecystectomy is recommended in patients with a long life expectancy, because recurrence of calculi and symptoms increases with time.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001658:Biliary Fistula / Q000150:complications; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000150:complications; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D004380:Duodenal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004384:Duodenoscopy; D005260:Female; D005705:Gallbladder Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007412:Intestinal Fistula / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography