An apricot story: view through a keyhole.
BACKGROUND
Very few cases of small bowel obstruction due to ingested fruits have been described in literature, and most of these have managed by a laparotomy. Laparoscopic assisted surgery can effectively deal with such impacted foreign bodies, thereby avoiding a formal laparotomy.


METHODS
A 75 years old lady was admitted via the Accident and Emergency to the surgical ward with a three-day history of abdominal pain and vomiting. Investigations were suggestive of acute small bowel obstruction. On laparoscopy, there was an area of sudden change in calibre of small bowel with dilated proximal and collapsed distal segment in distal jejunum. A foreign body, dried undigested apricot, was extracted by mini-laparotomy.


CONCLUSIONS
Small bowel obstruction is a frequent cause of emergency surgery, and aetiology may include food bolus obstruction. Diagnosis is usually confirmed intra-operatively. Foreign body impacted in small bowel can be removed by open or laparoscopic methods.


CONCLUSIONS
Generally, laparotomy is performed for diagnosis and management in acute bowel obstruction, but with increasing expertise, laparoscopy can be equally effective with all the other advantages of minimal access approach.
Samdani
Tushar
T
Department of General Surgery, Princess Royal University Hospital, Orpington, Kent, BR6 8ND, UK. tasneemtarun@hotmail.com.
Singhal
Tarun
T
Balakrishnan
Santosh
S
Hussain
Abdulzahra
A
Grandy-Smith
Starlene
S
El-Hasani
Shamsi
S
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