Conclusions
Many intraluminal obstructions of the ascending, transverse, and
descending colons can be manipulated, exteriorized, accessed, and
removed through routine enterotomy approaches. The case series by
Machado Amaral Rosa et al (2023) highlights the successful use of
pneumatic lithotripsy to facilitate resolution of obstructive
enterolithiasis through small enterotomies remote to the site of
obstruction. This provides the surgeon with another tool to consider
when challenged by similar types of obstructions. It is important to
recognize that pneumatic lithotripsy may not be safe or effective for
all intraluminal obstructions. Awareness of other strategies or
secondary abdominal approaches to address these challenging
presentations can help improve the surgeon’s ability to problem solve in
these situations and achieve successful resolution of the obstruction.