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Case Reports
. 2014 Feb 14;20(6):1626-9.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i6.1626.

Peritonitis with small bowel perforation caused by a fish bone in a healthy patient

Yonghoon Choi  1 , Gyuwon Kim  1 , Chansup Shim  1 , Dongkeun Kim  1 , Dongju Kim  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Peritonitis with small bowel perforation caused by a fish bone in a healthy patient

Yonghoon Choi et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract by ingested foreign bodies is extremely rare in otherwise healthy patients, accounting for < 1% of cases. Accidentally ingested foreign bodies could cause small bowel perforation through a hernia sac, Meckel's diverticulum, or the appendix, all of which are uncommon. Despite their sharp ends and elongated shape, bowel perforation caused by ingested fish bones is rarely reported, particularly in patients without intestinal disease. We report a case of 57-year-old female who visited the emergency room with periumbilical pain and no history of underlying intestinal disease or intra-abdominal surgery. Abdominal computed tomography and exploratory laparotomy revealed a small bowel micro-perforation with a 2.7-cm fish bone penetrating the jejunal wall.

Keywords: Fish bone; Foreign body; Japanese red rock fish; Peritonitis; Small bowel perforation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Computed tomography findings showing a small quantity of free air with mesentery (white arrow). There is no evidence of localized inflammation or fluid collection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
2.7-cm fish bone excised from the small bowel.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Operative findings in small bowel perforation by a fish bone (white arrow). There was no definite obstruction or stricture.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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