Published online Jul 16, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i20.5695
Peer-review started: March 5, 2021
First decision: April 13, 2021
Revised: April 21, 2021
Accepted: April 23, 2021
Article in press: April 23, 2021
Published online: July 16, 2021
Biliary ascariasis is rare but remains the most common parasitic infection in remote areas and in people with poor medical conditions. Here, we reported a case of biliary ascariasis in order to raise awareness of possible parasitic infections.
A 68-year-old female was admitted to the emergency room of the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University on 28 September 2017, with chief complaint of pain in the right upper abdomen. Ultrasonography of the abdomen showed that the upper segment of the common bile duct was slightly dilated with parallel tubular structures, indicative of biliary ascariasis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was performed under general anesthesia on 29 September 2017, and an adult Ascaris lumbricoides worm was observed. After the worm was removed from the bile duct, the patient’s pain immediately subsided. The patient was successfully cured, without any complications.
This report emphasizes the need for physicians to consider biliary ascariasis as a possible cause when treating cases of biliary colic.
Core Tip: As far as we know, biliary ascariasis is an extremely rare infectious disease. The clinical symptoms of biliary ascariasis are similar to those of biliary calculi, so the differential diagnosis is very important. This case is a typical biliary ascariasis. After detailed physical examination, biochemical examination, abdominal ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography technology, we finally successfully diagnosed and treated biliary ascariasis. In order to attract clinical attention and effective treatment, this article reviews the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of biliary ascariasis.