Gastric outlet obstruction secondary to biliary calculi: 2 cases of Bouveret syndrome

Gallstone ileus is an uncommon cause of small-bowel obstruction, accounting for about 1%-4% of cases.(1,2) Although the most common location for intestinal obstruction by a biliary calculus is the terminal ileum, obstruction infrequently occurs more proximally. In rare cases, gallstones migrate into the duodenum through a cholecystoduodenal fistula and become impacted, producing gastric outlet obstruction. This syndrome was originally described in 1896 by Bouveret.(3) Our report describes 2 cases of Bouveret syndrome, their surgical management and clinical outcomes.