Small bowel perforation secondary to foreign body ingestion mimicking acute appendicitis: Case report

Foreign body ingestion is often encountered in clinical practice; however, intestinal perforation owing to foreign body ingestion is rare.

Here, we present the cases of 2 patients who accidentally swallowed foreign bodies and later presented with pain in the right lower abdominal quadrant.

Both patients were initially diagnosed with acute appendicitis and underwent immediate emergency laparotomy.

During the operation, the appendix was found to be only mildly inflamed. On transection of the appendix, the mucosa was found to be inflamed, and yellow-white exudate was noted. We, therefore, decided to explore the entire bowel. The bowel examination revealed small bowel perforations, and palpation of the adjacent bowel revealed a hard, sharp object. The object was removed through the perforation site, the perforation was repaired, and the abdomen was closed in layers.

The postoperative recovery, in both cases, was uneventful.

Patients who swallow sharp or large foreign bodies should undergo endoscopy as soon as possible to avoid intestinal perforation. Clinicians should inquire about a history of foreign body ingestion. The preoperative diagnosis of intestinal perforation secondary to foreign body ingestion requires a high degree of clinical suspicion and awareness.