Published online Aug 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i32.11456
Revised: March 18, 2014
Accepted: May 12, 2014
Published online: August 28, 2014
Accidentally ingested foreign bodies, for the most part, pass through the gastrointestinal tract, but can cause several complications. Perforation is rare, but can occur in any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Intestinal perforations due to foreign bodies are rarely diagnosed preoperatively as clinical symptoms are non-specific and they can mimic other abdominal conditions. We describe a case of a 48-year-old patient who was admitted to the emergency room because of severe abdominal pain of 5 d duration. A computed tomography scan showed an undefined liquid collection involving a linear image 35 mm in size, suggestive of a foreign body. On laparotomy, an abscess containing a fish bone was resected. As fish bone ingestion is usually not remembered by the patient, the diagnosis can be delayed. The preoperative diagnosis is frequently acute abdomen of unknown cause. A low threshold of suspicion along with a good clinical history and radiological studies are extremely important in order to make a correct diagnosis.
Core tip: Perforations due to fish bones are rare and have nonspecific symptoms, mimicking other abdominal conditions. A patient attended the emergency room due to severe abdominal pain of 5 d duration. A computed tomography scan showed an undefined liquid collection involving a linear image 35 mm in size. On laparotomy, an abscess containing a fish bone was resected.