Uncommon Case of a Foreign Body Ingestion with Consecutive Small-Bowel Obstruction in a Child

Abstract

A 12-year-old boy with Lennox syndrome presented with an acute abdomen and a history of progressive abdominal pain and vomiting over 3 weeks. The uncommon finding in this case was a foreign body detected in a lower loop of the jejunum causing radiological and clinical signs of jejunitis/ileitis. The foreign body had to be removed surgically and turned out to be a hard (originally soft) plastic part of a towel rack.

Small Bowel Obstruction in a Virgin Abdomen: A Case Report

“…In contrast, developing countries etiology includes adhesions (34%), hernia (16%), malignancy (13.5%) and tuberculous stricture (10%) [4]. In the pediatric population foreign body ingestion is a known cause of abdominal pain, most of which will pass spontaneously and less than 1% will require surgical removal [5,6]. Acute intestinal obstruction due to foreign bodies is rare in adults [7].…”

The Foreign Body Ingestion which is an important cause of mortality and morbidity

“…Small bowel obstruction following ingestion of a plastic part of a towel rack has also been reported in an unusual case. [28] Furthermore, Noel [29] reported a liver abscess developing as a result of FBI. [29] Esophageal hematoma, esophageal stricture, and sacral osteomyelitis are other rare clinical conditions that have occurred due to FBI.…”

“…Specifically, perforations and mechanical obstruction of the stomach, small bowel, and colon have been reported. [28,36] Goh et al [37] reported that the most frequent perforations were seen in the ileum, at a ratio of 39% in the analysis of 62 cases of FBI causing gastrointestinal perforation, and it was reported that the perforation area was in the distal rectal level in 29% of the patients.…”