title: Foreign bodies of dental origin in the appendix.
abstract: Foreign bodies found in the appendix have been reported many times. To date 254 occurrences have been documented. However, only 4 previously reported episodes involve teeth, dental restoration or dental equipment. We present a patient with a 6 month history of intermittent right iliac fossa pain following the ingestion of a gold inlay restoration, which was found at operation to be in the distal appendix. Previous reports suggest that symptoms from foreign bodies in the appendix occur in 73% of cases, and in 93% when the object is sharp. Therefore, appendicectomy is recommended when a foreign body is detected in the appendix, and particularly if it has sharp edges.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Princess Alexandra's RAF Hospital, Wroughton, Swindon, Wilts.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Mellor
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Mellor
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D001062:Appendectomy; D001065:Appendix; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D007284:Inlays; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D006046:Gold