title: An unusual cause of a non-functioning stoma in an 87-year-old gentleman.
abstract: Gallstone ileus is a rare but significant cause of intestinal obstruction particularly among the elderly population. Symptoms are often vague and therefore a high suspicious index is required for successful diagnosis. In this report, we present the case of an 87-year-old gentleman with a background history of cholelithiasis and ileostomy for ulcerative colitis who was admitted with a 24-h history of his stoma not functioning. He had an abdominal x-ray and CT which were consistent with small bowel obstruction with no identifiable cause. He underwent an examination of his stoma under general anaesthesia which revealed a 2.5 cm gallstone wedged several centimetres near the entry point of the stoma. The purpose of this report is to highlight the importance of considering gallstones as a potential cause of a non-functioning stoma in any patient with a significant history of cholelithiasis.
authors: Department of General Surgery, William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, Kent, UK. iv.ayeni@doctors.org.uk
authors: Itunuayo V
authors: IV
authors: Ayeni
authors: Nicholas J
authors: NJ
authors: Williams
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D042882:Gallstones / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007081:Ileostomy; D045823:Ileus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed