Perforation of the intestine--rare complication of choledocholithiasis

Endoscopic biliary stent insertion is a well-established treatment for hepatic, biliary or pancreatic disorders. A routine change of endoprostheses after 3 mo is a common practice but this can be prolonged to 6 mo. An bowell perforation resulting from a migrated biliary stent is a rare complication of endoscopic stent placement for benign or malignant biliary tract disease. We describe the case of a 84-year-old woman with a history of abdominal surgery in which a migrated biliary stent resulted in an ileal perforation. Patients with comorbid abdominal pathologies, including abdominal hernia, parastomal hernia, or colonic diverticuli, may be at increased risk of perforation from migrated stents.