Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by cholecystolithiasis compressing the cystic artery: a case report

The majority of patients with cholecystolithiasis are asymptomatic. Hemobilia is a rare complication of cholecystolithiasis. It is also an uncommon cause of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, where the source of bleeding may be difficult to diagnose. This case report describes a middle-aged woman who experienced recurrent upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage both in the pre-admission period and during hospitalization. Treatment with medication, endoscopy, and interventional procedures yielded poor results, and the cause of the upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage was difficult to confirm. Ultimately, the diagnosis was confirmed and the condition was treated through exploratory laparotomy. In this report, we analyze the diagnostic and treatment process in this case to improve clinicians’ understanding of the causes of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, the complications of cholecystolithiasis, and the surgical indications for cholecystolithiasis or upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.