Abstract

Infestation with Ascaris lumbricoides is one of the most common helminthic diseases in humans. The highly motile mature worm can cause intestinal obstructions, pancreaticobiliary diseases, appendicitis, and peritonitis. However, biliary ascariasis associated with duodenal stenosis is extremely rare. We report a case of biliary ascariasis with duodenal stenosis in a 70-year-old man. The patient was admitted to our hospital with a 2 month history of epigastric pain and vomiting. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed stenosis of the second portion of the duodenum and an impacted living round worm in the ampulla of Vater. The round worm was extracted with a snare without any complications, and the patient received albendazole treatment. A pathological examination of the stenotic portion of the biopsy specimen revealed chronic inflammation with eosinophilic infiltration throughout the mucosa. The patient remained asymptomatic at a follow-up examination. Duodenal stenosis should be considered in the complications of ascariasis, particularly in areas where this parasitic infestation is endemic.

• Keywords: Duodenal stenosis, Ascaris lumbricoides