On the fate of lost gallstones

The spilling of stones during laparoscopic cholecystectomy occurs in 10% of the operations. Late complications associated with this type of surgical procedure are abscesses and fistulas in the abdominal cavity and abdominal wall. The time elapsing between laparoscopy and clinical manifestation may be as long as 12 months. We present a case of a patient with localised abdominal pain in the upper right abdomen two months after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Sonography and CT revealed a fat necrosis posterior of the rectus muscle. Examination of the histological specimen confirmed a fat necrosis caused by two small pigmented stones, spilled during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.