A Case of Diverticular Perforation of the Rectum Caused by a Bread–bag Clip

Abstract

A 73–year–old female visited to our hospital complaining of abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Physical examination revealed abdominal tenderness and muscle guarding. Abdominal CT showed free air in the upper abdomen and multiple diverticula in the rectum, with peripheral inflammatory changes. Emergency operation was performed under the diagnosis of rectal diverticular perforation. Intraoperative exploration revealed a perforation, 3 mm in diameter, in the anterior wall of the rectum, and Hartmann’s operation was performed. Examination of the resected specimen revealed a plastic bread–bag clip firmly fixed at the site of the perforation. We think that this is the first report of a case of gastrointestinal tract perforation caused by a plastic bread–bag clip in Japan.