[Migration of an ingested foreign body (sewing needle) to the pancreas tail and spleen]

A case of a penetration of the stomach by a sewing needle with migration to the tail of the pancreas and the spleen in a 22-years old woman is reported. The patient was referred to us with a chief complaint of abdominal pain and nausea. A plain roentgenogram showed a needle in the upper left abdominal area. An contrast X ray and abdominal computed tomography scan revealed foreign body (broken needle) to be located at the hilum of the spleen. At laparotomy the needle in the spleen and tail of the pancreas was impossible to be extirpated safely which required splenectomy and partial resection of the pancreas. A perforation of the gastrointestinal tract by an ingested foreign body is difficult to presume when no peritonitis or abscess formation is observed. A plain X-ray and CT scan is useful to establish the diagnosis.