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Abdominal Pain and Hypotension in a 70-Year-Old Woman

Educational Objective
Based on this clinical scenario and the accompanying image, understand how to arrive at a correct diagnosis.
1 Credit CME

A 70-year-old woman with hypertension, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and gallstones presented to the emergency department with 3 days of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. She reported no hematemesis, hematochezia, or melena and had no history of abdominal surgery. On admission to the emergency department, she was afebrile, her blood pressure was 80/60 mm Hg, and heart rate was 122/min. On physical examination, her abdomen was distended, tympanic, and slightly tender to palpation diffusely. Blood testing showed a white blood cell count of 10 450/μL (84.1% neutrophils); C-reactive protein level, 9.5 mg/dL; potassium level, 3.0 mEq/L (reference, 3.6-5.2 mEq/L); and creatinine level, 5.57 mg/dL (429.39 μmol/L, up from a baseline level of 0.80 mg/dL [70.72 μmol/L]). Sodium and liver function values were normal.

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A 70-year-old woman with hypertension, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and gallstones presented to the emergency department with 3 days of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. She reported no hematemesis, hematochezia, or melena and had no history of abdominal surgery. On admission to the emergency department, she was afebrile, her blood pressure was 80/60 mm Hg, and heart rate was 122/min. On physical examination, her abdomen was distended, tympanic, and slightly tender to palpation diffusely. Blood testing showed a white blood cell count of 10 450/μL (84.1% neutrophils); C-reactive protein level, 9.5 mg/dL; potassium level, 3.0 mEq/L (reference, 3.6-5.2 mEq/L); and creatinine level, 5.57 mg/dL (429.39 μmol/L, up from a baseline level of 0.80 mg/dL [70.72 μmol/L]). Sodium and liver function values were normal.

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Article Information

Corresponding Author: Francesco Pata, MD, PhD, Università della Calabria (Edificio Polifunzionale), Via Alberto Savinio, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy (francesco.pata@gmail.com).

Published Online: April 21, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.4441

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.

Additional Contributions: We thank the patient for granting permission to share her information.

References
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Ploneda-Valencia  CF , Gallo-Morales  M , Rinchon  C ,  et al.  Gallstone ileus: an overview of the literature.  Article in English and Spanish.  Rev Gastroenterol Mex. 2017;82(3):248-254. doi:10.1016/j.rgmx.2016.07.006PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
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Nuño-Guzmán  CM , Marín-Contreras  ME , Figueroa-Sánchez  M , Corona  JL .  Gallstone ileus, clinical presentation, diagnostic and treatment approach.   World J Gastrointest Surg. 2016;8(1):65-76. doi:10.4240/wjgs.v8.i1.65PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
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Inukai  K .  Gallstone ileus: a review.   BMJ Open Gastroenterol. 2019;6(1):e000344. doi:10.1136/bmjgast-2019-000344PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
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Alemi  F , Seiser  N , Ayloo  S .  Gallstone disease: cholecystitis, Mirizzi syndrome, Bouveret syndrome, gallstone ileus.   Surg Clin North Am. 2019;99(2):231-244. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2018.12.006PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
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Chang  L , Chang  M , Chang  HM , Chang  AI , Chang  F .  Clinical and radiological diagnosis of gallstone ileus: a mini review.   Emerg Radiol. 2018;25(2):189-196. doi:10.1007/s10140-017-1568-5PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
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Gungor  F , Atalay  Y , Acar  N ,  et al.  Clinical outcome of gallstone ileus.   Acta Chir Belg. 2022;122(1):7-14. doi:10.1080/00015458.2020.1816673PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
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Vera-Mansilla  C , Sanchez-Gollarte  A , Matias  B ,  et al.  Surgical treatment of gallstone ileus.   Visc Med. 2022;38(1):72-77. doi:10.1159/000518451PubMedGoogle ScholarCrossref
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Credit Designation Statement: The American Medical Association designates this Journal-based CME activity activity for a maximum of 1.00  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to:

  • 1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;;
  • 1.00 Self-Assessment points in the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s (ABOHNS) Continuing Certification program;
  • 1.00 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;
  • 1.00 Lifelong Learning points in the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) Continuing Certification program; and
  • 1.00 credit toward the CME [and Self-Assessment requirements] of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program

It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting MOC credit.

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