Enterohepatic Migration of Fish Bone Resulting in Liver Abscess

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Hepatology
• Surgical Case Reports

Background:

• Foreign body ingestion leading to liver abscess is exceptionally rare.
• Enterohepatic migration of ingested foreign bodies into the liver presents significant diagnostic challenges due to often asymptomatic ingestion.
• Hepatic abscesses can lead to severe complications such as secondary peritonitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a unique case of liver abscess formation and subsequent rupture.
• To highlight the unusual pathway of foreign body migration into the liver.
• To emphasize the importance of considering foreign body ingestion in unexplained hepatic abscesses.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 61-year-old male patient.
• Clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, and management of a ruptured hepatic abscess.
• Review of literature on foreign body migration into the liver.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with secondary peritonitis secondary to a ruptured hepatic abscess.
• A fish bone was identified as the foreign body that migrated into the liver.
• Preoperative diagnosis was complicated by the asymptomatic nature of the initial foreign body ingestion.

Conclusions:

• Ingested foreign bodies, such as fish bones, can migrate and cause severe intra-abdominal complications like liver abscesses.
• Early recognition and diagnosis of foreign body ingestion are crucial, even in the absence of initial symptoms.
• This case underscores the need for vigilance in diagnosing hepatic abscesses of obscure origin.