EMPHYSEMATOUS CHOLECYSTITIS AFTER ENDOSCOPIC WALLSTENT PLACEMENT COMPLICATED BY DISTAL MIGRATION OF THE STENT

Endoscopic placement of Wallstents was thought to be a less invasive p rocedure, and in previous publications serious complications were infr equent. We report here on the case of a 58-year-old man with unresecta ble pancreatic cancer who developed emphysematous cholecystitis after endoscopic placement of a Wallstent, which was further complicated by distal migration of the stent. A second stent had to be placed into th e first to fully bridge the malignant stricture. Three days later, the patient developed cholecystitis and septic complications, and he fina lly died of septic shock with disseminated intravascular coagulation. This previously unreported complication should be considered if abdomi nal pain and high fever develop after Wallstent placement.