Gallstone ileus: management options and results on a series of 40 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Controversy remains about the management of gallstone ileus. While some authors propose enterotomy, others defend the one-stage procedure (simultaneously fistula repair). The objective of the present study was to analyze management options and comparative study their results.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective and descriptive study with revision of clinical stories of patients with the diagnosis of gallstone ileus between 1987 and 2008. All the following variables were recorded: dates of hospital admission, surgery and discharge, age, sex, pathological antecedents, preoperative or intraoperative diagnosis, treatment, location of the fistula and location of the obstruction. End-result variables were: postoperative complications, mortality, complications during the follow-up and biliary complications.

RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were included of 46,648 admissions. Age, comorbidity, and intraoperative diagnosis were related with poorer short- and long-outcomes. The percentage of postoperative complications was similar for groups with and without fistula repair. Mortality was higher in the group with fistula repair (15 vs. 25%). Biliary complications were more frequent in the group without fistula repair (11 vs. 0%). Sex, location of the fistula and location of the obstruction did not be related with the prognosis.

CONCLUSION: One-stage procedure is related with higher mortality rate than enterotomy alone. Nevertheless, fistula repair reduces the number of biliary complications during the follow-up.