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. 2012 Jan 27;4(1):20-2.
doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v4.i1.20.

Swallowing a safety pin: Report of a case

Emmanuel Isaac Benizri  1 , Charlotte Cohen, Jean Marc Bereder, Amine Rahili, Daniel Benchimol
Affiliations

Swallowing a safety pin: Report of a case

Emmanuel Isaac Benizri et al. World J Gastrointest Surg. .

Abstract

Ingestion of a foreign body is a frequent and well-known medical problem with several diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Usually, ingested foreign bodies pass through the alimentary tract without incident. In some cases, they can be lodged in the appendix and may cause appendicitis. We report a case of a 29-year old woman, suffering from mental illness, with a safety pin lodged in the appendix. Initially, the patient consulted for abdominal pain. After a period of waiting, during which time the foreign body did not move, a colonoscopy was performed but failed to see the safety pin. Then, the patient underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy. Pathological examination showed an ulcerative appendicitis.

Keywords: Appendectomy; Appendix; Foreign body; Laparoscopy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Abdominal X-ray showing a metallic foreign body in the right lower quadrant.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Abdominal computed tomography-scan showing the foreign body in front of Bauhin’s valve.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Abdominal computed tomography-scan reconstructions showing the foreign body which appears as a broken safety pin.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Pathological examination of the appendix, confirming the presence of the safety pin.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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