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Open safety pin ingestion presenting as incarcerated umbilical hernia
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital and the Institute of Child Health Lahore, Pakistan.
Insights
Sharp foreign body ingestion in infants can cause serious complications. A safety pin lodged in an umbilical hernia required surgical removal to prevent bowel damage.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Gastrointestinal Surgery
- Foreign Body Ingestion
Background:
- Foreign body ingestion is a frequent pediatric emergency.
- Sharp objects pose significant risks, including gastrointestinal perforation and complications.
- Umbilical hernias in infants can sometimes present with unusual entrapments.
Observation:
- An 8-month-old infant presented with an incarcerated umbilical hernia, raising concerns for strangulation.
- Surgical exploration revealed a loop of ileum trapped within the umbilical defect.
- The incarcerated ileum showed a safety pin protruding from its lumen.
Findings:
- The safety pin had pierced through the wall of the ileum, entering the bowel lumen.
- Surgical intervention involved freeing the incarcerated ileum and performing an enterotomy.
- The foreign body, a safety pin, was successfully removed from the infant's bowel.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for ingested sharp foreign bodies to cause severe intra-abdominal injury, even when presenting as a seemingly localized issue like an umbilical hernia.
- Early surgical diagnosis and intervention are crucial for managing complications arising from incarcerated hernias with foreign body involvement.
- Illustrates the importance of considering unusual presentations of foreign body ingestion in pediatric surgical emergencies.
Abstract:
Foreign body ingestion is common in children. Sharp foreign bodies are potentially harmful and can result various complications. An 8-month-old infant presented with incarcerated umbilical hernia. With a suspicion of strangulation, operation was performed that revealed a loop of ileum being stuck in the umbilical defect. The loop of ileum was freed from the umbilicus which demonstrated open ends of safety pin piercing out of bowel lumen. The enterotomy followed by removal of safety pin was performed.
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