Development of hepatolithiasis due to a celery stalk retained within the bile ducts of the liver.

INTRODUCTION: Commonly encountered foreign bodies are remnants from surgical procedures and ingested materials. Rarely, the latter cause stone formation in the biliary tract.

CASE HISTORY: We describe a 51-year-old female who underwent choledoduodenostomy and who presented with abdominal distension caused by multiple stones in the bile ducts within the liver (hepatolithiasis) and an intact celery stalk. Hepatolithiasis was demonstrated by ultrasonography and computed tomography of the abdomen. The celery stalk was not confirmed until exploration of the biliary duct.

CONCLUSIONS: Here, we describe, for the first time, an intact, undigested celery stalk in the biliary tract which induced hepatolithiasis. We believe that choledochojejunostomy favoured reflux of the celery stalk from the duodenum into the biliary tract.