Management dilemma of cholecysto-colonic fistula: Case report

Cholecystocolonic Fistula: A Case of Chronic Diarrhoea and Hidden Stones

A cholecystocolonic fistula (CCF) is a rare cause of chronic diarrhoea. It most often occurs in elderly women as a result of chronic inflammation due to gallstone disease or, rarely, malignancy. Curative treatment consists of cholecystectomy with excision of the fistula tract, but it is often overlooked preoperatively and thus entails a higher risk of postoperative complications. Here, we present a case of a 78-year-old woman with chronic diarrhoea who was diagnosed with a CCF during a colonoscopy. Cholecystectomy was complicated by acute cholangitis due to an obstructive stone in the common bile duct (CBD) that was masked preoperatively due to alternative biliary drainage via the CCF. Recognition of this rare entity can enhance clinicians' diagnostic appraisal and limit postoperative complications.

Colonic Gallstone Ileus: A Rare Etiology of Large Bowel Obstruction

Large bowel obstruction is a surgical emergency that requires prompt diagnosis and management. It is frequently caused by colon cancer. However, the common benign etiologies include volvulus, hernia, adhesions, and strictures. Imaging studies are essential to establish the diagnosis and identify the etiology. We present the case of a 44-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and distension for a one-week duration. The pain was associated with decreased bowel motions and vomiting. Her past medical history was significant for diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and recurrent episodes of biliary colic. Upon examination, she had tachycardia, normal temperature, and normal blood pressure. Abdominal examination revealed a distended abdomen with generalized tenderness and increased intensity of bowel sounds. The laboratory markers were noncontributory. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen with intravenous contrast demonstrated the presence of an oval-shaped hypodense intraluminal mass in the sigmoid colon where there was a transition point with proximal colonic dilatation. There was an abnormal communication between the gallbladder and the colon at the hepatic flexure, representing a cholecystocolic fistula tract. This represents a mechanical obstruction of the large bowel due to migrated gallstone through a cholecystocolic fistula tract. The patient was prepared for an emergency laparotomy. The gallstone was removed, and the sigmoid colon was sutured primarily. Resection of the gallbladder was made with the closure of the fistula tract. Following the surgery, the patient reported a resolution of her abdominal pain. Oral feeding was started gradually. After six months of close follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic with no new complaints. Cholecystocolic fistula is a very rare complication of gallbladder disease. Despite its rarity, surgeons should remember this etiology of large intestinal obstruction when they encounter a patient with gallbladder disease.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): Used to Diagnose and Treat Cholecystoduodenal Fistula, a Rare Clinical Entity

Biliary enteric fistula is a rare diagnosis. Common etiologies include chronic cholecystitis with cholelithiasis and peptic ulcer disease. Of these, the number one cause is chronic cholecystitis with cholelithiasis. Adhesion of a chronically inflamed gallbladder to the duodenum followed by erosion of the gallbladder wall by gallstones leads to the establishment of an abnormal communication between the gallbladder and duodenum. This abnormal communication, namely, cholecystoduodenal fistula, has a high mortality rate and therefore must be managed in a timely manner. The case presented in this report is that of a 76-year-old female suffering from chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis who was both diagnosed with as well as managed for cholecystoduodenal fistula by the use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

Robotic cholecystectomy and cholecystoenteric fistula closure in a female with remote cholangitis

Cholecystocolic fistula (CCF), a connection between the gallbladder and neighboring colon, is a rare entity with little consensus as to the optimal surgical management. Existing case reports have described both open and laparoscopic repairs. We describe the first reported case of a successful robotic repair of a CCF in a 50-year-old woman diagnosed with cholangitis 5 years prior to surgery. The patient had a longitudinal follow-up by a single surgeon, allowing for early diagnosis and repair. This case also includes radiographic imaging over 5 years during the index hospitalization and preoperative workup. This allows for a glimpse into the natural pathogenesis of this disease. After robotic surgery, the patient made a complete recovery with no postoperative complications.

Gallstone ileus of the sigmoid colon caused by cholecystocolonic fistula: A case report

INTRODUCTION

A cholecystocolonic fistula (CCF) is a late complication following repeated episodes of chronic inflammation of the gallbladder in contact with the hepatic flexure, and it might cause a biliary ileus in the colon, causing an intestinal obstruction, and if left untreated, a life threatening disease.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

a 49-year-old female patient presented with abdominal pain and bowel obstruction due to a gallstone impaction on the sigmoid colon as consequence of a cholecystocolonic fistula. An enterolithotomy was performed, and the patient evolved favorably. She was discharged without complications on the 5th Postoperative day (POD).

DISCUSSION

Clinical signs of CCF are usually minimal, and a preoperative diagnostic of CCF is rare, and it often presents with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and malabsorption. In the vast majority of patients presenting with CCF and biliary ileus, the stone is located within the sigmoid colon, accompanied with a concomitant disease at this point, with diverticulosis being the most common occurrence.

CONCLUSION

A cholecystocolonic fistula with a gallstone colonic ileus must be suspected in an elderly, and female, patient presenting with cholelithiasis and with intestinal obstruction. Treatment should not be delayed, and correction of the intestinal obstruction ought to be the basis of the treatment.