Foreign body appendicitis: A case report and literature review

Foreign body ingestion is more common in children than adults and occurs most frequently between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. While most foreign bodies pass spontaneously, retention in the appendix is rare and can lead to serious complications such as appendicitis or perforation.

We report the case of a 2-year 10-month-old boy referred to our pediatric gastroenterology division due to a witnessed ingestion of a screw, which remained in the gastrointestinal tract for 2 months.

Abdominal computed tomography revealed a screw-shaped metallic foreign body located near the ileocecal valve, with mild dilatation of the small bowel.

Given the prolonged presence of the foreign body in the right lower abdomen, a laparoscopic appendectomy was performed. Pathology confirmed early acute appendicitis.

The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged on postoperative day 5 without complications.

Although rare, appendicitis can result from foreign body ingestion. Serial abdominal X-rays or abdominal 3-dimensional computed tomography scans can assist in diagnosis. Management options include endoscopic retrieval or surgical removal, such as laparoscopic appendectomy.