Recurrent abdominal pain due to buckshots in the appendix

Abstract

Ingestion of foreign bodies is a common paediatric problem, with more than 100,000 cases occurring each year. The majority of these objects are radiopaque. This paper reports a case of elective appendectomy in a patient with unknown ingestion of buckshots affected by recurrent abdominal pain. Plain abdominal films and ultrasound scans showed that the foreign bodies were located in the right lower abdominal quadrant, more specifically in the appendix.

Conclusion: Foreign bodies in the appendiceal lumen may cause inflammation, perforation and peritonitis. Surgery seems to be the only effective therapeutic approach to foreign bodies in the appendix.