Gallstone Ileus in A Young Male: A Rare Case of Small Bowel Obstruction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20961/plexus.v5i4.3902Keywords:
gallstone ileus, small bowel obstruction, case reportAbstract
Introduction: Gallstone ileus is a rare but important cause of small bowel obstruction, accounting for only 1–4% of all cases and typically occurring in elderly women. The nonspecific clinical presentation and limited sensitivity of routine imaging studies often lead to delayed diagnosis, increasing morbidity and mortality.
Case Presentation: We report the case of a 38-year-old man without known history of biliary disease who presented with abdominal distension, constipation, and epigastric pain. A plain abdominal radiograph revealed signs of small bowel obstruction, while an exploratory laparotomy confirmed the diagnosis of gallstone ileus with the discovery of two large gallstones obstructing the ileum. A successful laparotomy relieved the obstruction, and the patient made an uneventful postoperative recovery.
Conclusion: This report emphasizes that early recognition and appropriate surgical intervention remain key to reducing morbidity and mortality, and the importance of considering gallstone ileus in the differential diagnosis of intestinal obstruction even in young patients.
References
Amara, Y., Leppaniemi, A., Catena, F., Ansaloni, L., Sugrue, M., Fraga, G. P., et al. (2021). Diagnosis and management of small bowel obstruction in virgin abdomen: A WSES position paper. World Journal of Emergency Surgery, 16(1), 36.
Baddam, A., Akuma, O., Raj, R., Akuma, C. M., Augustine, S. W., Sheikh Hanafi, I., et al. (2023). Analysis of risk factors for cholelithiasis: A single-center retrospective study. Cureus, 15(9), e46155. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.46155
Beji, H., Chtourou, M. F., Zribi, S., Laamiri, G., Bouassida, M., & Touinsi, H. (2023). Gallstone ileus: A case report and review of the literature. International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, 106, 108221. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210261223003498
Chang, L., Chang, M., Chang, H. M., Chang, A. I., & Chang, F. (2018). Clinical and radiological diagnosis of gallstone ileus: A mini review. Emergency Radiology, 25(2), 189–196.
De Monti, M., Cestaro, G., Alkayyali, S., Galafassi, J., & Fasolini, F. (2018). Gallstone ileus: A possible cause of bowel obstruction in the elderly population. International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, 43, 18–20. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210261218300142
Detz, D. J., Podrat, J. L., Muniz Castro, J. C., Lee, Y. K., Zheng, F., Purnell, S., et al. (2021). Small bowel obstruction. Current Problems in Surgery, 58(7), 100893. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011384020301635
Elgazar, A., Hindawi, M. D., Abdelaty, E. A., Salem, M. A., Kalmoush, A. E., Awad, A. K. (2025). Gallstone ileus: What to do, when, and why: A case-based review of surgical options. International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, 134, 111684. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210261225008703
Gaikwad, S., & Marathe, M. (2023). Gallstone ileus: Clinical presentation and radiological diagnosis. Cureus, 15(7), e42059.
González-Robles, M. E., Menéndez-Goti, L. L., de Jesús González-Luna, A., Cuevas-Calla, C. V., & Torres-Salazar, Q. L. (2024). Gallstone ileus presenting in an elderly patient: A case report. International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, 124, 110440. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210261224012215
Inukai, K. (2019). Gallstone ileus: A review. BMJ Open Gastroenterology, 6(1), e000344.
Jakubauskas, M., Luksaite, R., Sileikis, A., Strupas, K., & Poskus, T. (2019). Gallstone ileus: Management and clinical outcomes. Medicina, 55(9), 598. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina55090598
Kishimoto, M., Okamoto, Y., Muroya, T., Kajino, K., Ikegawa, H., & Kuwagata, Y. (2021). A case report on gallstone ileus treated with the endoscopy. Open Journal of Emergency Medicine, 9(4), 188–195.
Klingbeil, K. D., Wu, J. X., Osuna-Garcia, A., & Livingston, E. H. (2023). Management of small bowel obstruction and systematic review of treatment without nasogastric tube decompression. Surgical Open Science, 12, 62–67.
Madrid Ruíz, J. F., Hidalgo Artiaga, K. E., Baéz León, A. S., Aguilar J. M. D. G., & De Ora, O. M. O. (2023). Gallstone ileus, controversies on current surgical management. International Surgery Journal, 10(12), 2000–2005.
Nuño-Guzmán, C. M., Marín-Contreras, M. E., Figueroa-Sánchez, M., & Corona, J. L. (2016). Gallstone ileus, clinical presentation, diagnostic and treatment approach. World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 8(1), 65–76.
Vera-Mansilla, C., Sanchez-Gollarte, A., Matias, B., Mendoza-Moreno, F., Díez-Alonso, M., & Garcia-Moreno Nisa, F. (2022). Surgical treatment of gallstone ileus: Less is more. Visceral Medicine, 38(1), 72–77.
Ye, Z., Xie, J., Ni, X., Yang, J., Li, J., Xuan, Y., et al. (2024). Physical activity and risk of cholelithiasis: A narrative review. Frontiers in Medicine, 11.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Gregorious Gandhi Krishna Aditya, Muhammad Habibbuddin Patriadi Nuhriawangsa, Nur Rohman
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright @2022. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
