Noningested intraperitoneal foreign body causing chronic abdominal pain: a role for laparoscopy in the diagnosis

• Published in: Journal of pediatric surgery Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. e15 - e17
• Main Authors: Aarabi, Shahram, Stephenson, Jacob, Christie, Dennis L, Javid, Patrick J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-02-2012
• Subjects: Abdominal Injuries - complications; Abdominal pain; Abdominal Pain - etiology; Adolescent; Chronic Disease; Colon; Colonoscopy; Delayed Diagnosis; Diagnostic Errors; Foreign body; Foreign-Body Migration - diagnosis; Foreign-Body Migration - etiology; Foreign-Body Migration - surgery; Humans; Intra-abdominal; Laparoscopy; Male; Needles; Pediatrics; Peritoneal Cavity; Surgery; Wounds, Penetrating - complications; Abdominal pain; Foreign body; Laparoscopy; Intra-abdominal
• ISSN: 0022-3468; 1531-5037
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2011.10.052

Abstract In this article, we present an unusual case of a young boy who presented with abdominal pain and was found to have a sewing needle that had migrated through the abdominal wall into the peritoneal space. After imaging and endoscopy, the needle was extracted laparoscopically without any evidence of intra-abdominal organ injury and with a good long-term outcome for the child. There are no other such reported cases in the literature. This case highlights the subtleties in management of intra-abdominal foreign bodies in children including rare causes such noningested foreign bodies.