Management of Small Bowel Perforation by a Bizarre Foreign Body in a 55-Year-Old Woman

Abstract

Introduction Ingestion of foreign bodies including dentures, fishbone, screw, and/or surgical devices can be a cause of morbidity, and it rarely could be fatal. Presentation of Case We present the first hitherto reported case of mussel shell ingestion, which caused acute abdominal pain in a 55-year-old woman. The shell pierced ileal loops, and it was found in the abdominal cavity. Discussion The accidental or voluntary ingestion of a foreign body is an uncommon event compared to the other causes of bowel perforation. It is fundamental to immediately remove the intestinal fluid, repair the tear, and prevent sepsis, because each delay in diagnosis can lead to a worst outcome. Conclusion In case of bowel perforation, it important for surgeons, who are dealing with these acute care patients, to be aware of different designs and constructions of possible foreign bodies, in order to be prepared to deal with different possible scenarios and be able to manage them properly.

Intestinal Perforation Secondary to Pits of Jujube Ingestion: A Single‐Center Experience with 18 Cases

“…Ingestion of some highly dangerous objects such as high‐powered magnets, large button batteries, narcotic packages and super absorbent objects can be associated with risk factors like underlying psychiatric conditions [8], imprisonment [9], defective capabilities due to extremely young age [10] or abuse of alcohol and drugs [11] and is usually intentional and repetitive [12]. However, the FBs that cause intestinal perforation are food related, and there is a wide spectrum of FBs including bones of animals [13, 14], shells of seafood [15, 16], toothpicks [17, 18], dentures [19] and seeds of fruits as in our case series. Ingestion of food‐related FBs is usually unintentional and can be easily neglected by both patients and doctors [18], which is in accordance with our study results (50%).…”