Radiolucent foreign bodies presenting as inflammatory bowel disease: the case of an ingested plastic straw disguising...

More than 80% of ingested foreign bodies are thought to pass spontaneously in the faeces, with fewer than 1% requiring surgical intervention. 'Missed' gastrointestinal foreign bodies are rare and often due to the lack of an obtainable history in patients with communication difficulties or radiolucent foreign bodies. We present the rare case of a 27-year-old woman with severe learning difficulties and a complex surgical history who presented with a 2-year history of increasing abdominal discomfort due to a 'missed' foreign body. Initially diagnosed as Crohn's disease, this case highlights the value of oral contrast enhancement imaging in patients who do not fit a 'classical' inflammatory bowel disease presentation.