Ileal perforation by an odd foreign object

Abstract

Perforation of the gastrointestinal system by a foreign body is seldom observed in clinical practice; however, it has great importance because it is preventable and can usually be easily treated. In this case report, we present a young male patient, who mistakenly swallowed a foreign body and presented to the emergency service one day later with acute abdomen. The 23-year-old patient was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and underwent emergency laparotomy. During the operation, a plastic object that perforated the terminal ileum lumen and protruded into the abdominal cavity was identified. Along with appendectomy, the foreign body was removed and the ileum was repaired. The detailed history of the patient revealed that he had mistakenly swallowed something one day before the onset of abdominal pain. The patient was discharged on the postoperative seventh day following an uneventful course.

Keywords: Ileal perforation; appendicitis; foreign bodies.

Figure 1.

Foreign body detected during perioperative ileocecal region exploration that protruded from the bowel wall

Figure 2.

The removed foreign body