Small Bowel Obstruction Secondary to Accidental Ingestion of a Cooling Gel Sheet—A Case Report—

Abstract

A 79-year-old man with dementia visited our hospital with fever and vomiting. Computed tomography revealed a foreign body with air bubbles in the small intestine and dilatation of the oral intestinal tract. His symptoms did not improve despite conservative treatment for 5 days, and we performed laparoscopic surgery. Intraoperatively, we identified a cooling gel sheet in the small intestine, which was carefully removed. Bowel obstruction improved postoperatively, and he was discharged. A cooling gel sheet gradually expands following exposure to liquids when swallowed and consequently causes small bowel obstruction ; therefore, conservative treatment cannot treat this condition. Intestinal obstruction secondary to accidental ingestion of a cooling gel sheet is rare. In this case report, we describe the third case of accidental ingestion of a cooling gel sheet in Japan, together with a literature review.