Abstract
Gallstone ileus (GI) is an uncommon sequela of cholelithiasis or gallbladder stones. It accounts for
about 0.3-0.5% of incidences of cholelithiasis (1). In the same vein, it is also a rare etiology of
intestinal obstruction. Approximately 1-4% of cases of intestinal obstruction are due to GI ( 2).
However, we have encountered a series of cases of GI. Hence the question begs:
Is GI a rare disease as reported in the medical literature or the spate of cases at our center was
merely a statistical outlier attributable to external factors?
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