title: Intestinal perforation by foreign bodies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present our experience of patients who presented with intestinal perforation by foreign bodies to our hospital between 1980 and 1998.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital, Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  21 patients who presented with intestinal perforation by foreign bodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Size of perforations, nature of foreign bodies, clinical symptoms, radiological findings, treatment and outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common location was the terminal ileum (n = 11), followed by the rectosigmoid junction (n = 5). The objects were mainly bone fragments and toothpicks. The diagnosis was generally made at operation, and only 4 of the 21 patients had signs of pneumoperitoneum on the preoperative abdominal film. The most common treatment was simple suture of the defect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intestinal perforation by a foreign body is uncommon, and normally affects the ileocaecal and rectosigmoid regions, in which it is unusual to find pneumoperitoneum preoperatively. It must be considered in the differential diagnosis of such conditions as acute appendicitis and diverticulitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinero Madrona
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fernández Hernández
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrasco Prats
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Riquelme Riquelme
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parrila Paricio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology*; D007422:Intestines; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies