Small bowel perforation by ingested fish bone in a post-gastric bypass patient: a case report

Gastric bypass effectively treats morbid obesity but may cause complications like anastomotic strictures and marginal ulceration. Bowel perforation from foreign body ingestion is rare. A 49-year-old woman with previous gastric bypass presented with acute abdominal pain. A fish bone perforated her small intestine, causing an acute abdomen. Emergency laparotomy was performed, successfully repairing all perforations. Patients with gastric bypass may have anatomical changes increasing their risk of foreign body-induced perforation. Clinicians should consider this possibility when assessing sudden abdominal pain. Awareness of uncommon causes of abdominal pain in post-gastric bypass patients is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.