Colon Perforation by an Ingested Toothpick.
- Author:
Jin Kyung CHO
1
;
Jun Seok PARK
;
Dae Kon SOHN
;
Han Shick LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. emer6657@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Foreign body ingestion;
Toothpick
- MeSH:
Colon*;
Colon, Sigmoid;
Diagnosis;
Eating;
Emergency Service, Hospital;
Foreign Bodies;
Humans;
Mortality;
Peritonitis
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2002;13(3):366-368
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can be seen in all age groups and is not uncommon to see in the emergency department. Most are pediatric, edentulous, incarcerated and/or psychiatric patients. Since ingested objects are expected to pass spontaneously in 80% to 90% of patients with normal anatomy, direct foreign body removal using surgical intervention is rarely required. However, an ingested toothpick is of surgical interest as a cause of significant morbidity and even mortality. This is due to the difficulty in preoperative diagnosis resulting from a lack of history of ingestion of the toothpick and to the toothpick's radiolucent qualities. We report the case of a patient with peritonitis due to perforation of the sigmoid colon, a complication of accidental ingestion of a toothpick, that was diagnosed at the surgical field. Related literature is reviewed together.
