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Case Reports
. 2021;39(5):549-552.
doi: 10.1159/000514645. Epub 2021 Jan 22.

Unusual Biliary Complication following Christmas Eve Dinner

Lumir Kunovsky  1   2 , Pavla Tesarikova  3 , Amrita Sethi  4 , Radek Kroupa  1 , Milan Dastych  1 , Jiri Dolina  1 , Zdenek Kala  2 , Jan Trna  1   3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Unusual Biliary Complication following Christmas Eve Dinner

Lumir Kunovsky et al. Dig Dis. 2021.

Abstract

We present a case of a fish bone impacted in the papilla of Vater resulting in dyspepsia and mild elevation in liver function tests, which was subsequently treated endoscopically. Fish bones are one of the most commonly encountered swallowed foreign bodies. However, involvement of the biliary tract, such as the one described by us, represents an extremely rare complication of fish bone ingestion. The diagnosis of a foreign body in the biliary tract can be difficult, and early endoscopic or surgical extraction may be required to avoid complications such as biliary stone formation, obstructive jaundice, cholangitis or cholecystitis, and/or biliary sepsis. Prompt endoscopic treatment can avoid severe biliary complications or surgical therapy.

Keywords: Biliary complications; Common bile duct; Endoscopy; Fish bone; Foreign body; Papilla of Vater.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no conflicts of interest in relation to this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a Endoscopic findings: fish bone lodged in the papilla of Vater. b Endoscopic findings: fish bone lodged in the papilla of Vater.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Fish bone held by grasping forceps during the extraction in the stomach.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Extracted fish bone with ruler (centimeters).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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