A Case of Small Bowel Perforation due to Radiolucent Denture Liner

Abstract

A 72-year-old man visited the Department of Otorhinolaryngology in our hospital because of pharyngeal pain which occurred after he incidentally swallowed denture liner. No foreign bodies were detected in the pharynx and larynx and his clinical course was decided to be followed. Two weeks later, the patient was seen at the Department of Surgery in our hospital because of periumbilical pain and fever. On an abdominal CT scan no demonstrable foreign bodies were seen, but free air was noted. He was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of small bowel perforation. Conservative therapy was started after admission, and one week later, right upper quadrant pain appeared when an abdominal CT scan showed the perforated site which had moved from the previous situation. Perforation of the digestive tract caused by translucent denture liner was diagnosed and an emergency operation was performed. During surgery a board-like hard denture liner (Tokuyama Rebase II^® was identified. It was removed and partial resection of the small intestine was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged from the hospital on the 19^th hospital day.
Although many case of gastrointestinal (GI) perforation due to dentures have been reported so far, clinical reports on GI perforation due to denture liner are very rare. Furthermore, we have difficulties in making diagnosis in such cases because these materials are radiolucent.