2021 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 233-236
A 70-year-old woman presented to our hospital complaining of abdominal pain and vomiting. Abdominal CT revealed a dilated small intestine without ischemia. The patient was diagnosed as having adhesive small bowel obstruction and hospitalized, and a gastric tube was inserted. A long intestinal drainage tube was placed, however, no improvement in the obstructive signs was noted. Incarceration of a foreign body in the small intestine was suspected, and laparoscopic surgery was performed on hospital day 4. An apparent caliber change was observed in the ileum 50 cm orad to Bauhin’s valve. Incision of the ileum at the site revealed the incarcerated foreign body, an undigested broccoli floret, which was then removed. As no inflammatory changes were noted on the mucosal surface of the ileum, the ileum was closed by simple sutures. The postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient was discharged home on postoperative day 16. Laparoscopic surgery is considered as the surgical treatment of choice for small bowel obstruction caused by a foreign body.
