Lethal intestinal perforation after foreign body ingestion in a superobese patient.
Accidental ingestion of foreign bodies is common in the general population. Most foreign bodies pass through the entire digestive tract without incidents. However, in some cases, the ingested foreign body can cause complications such as acute abdomen due to intestinal perforation and even death. Bowel perforation may not be more common in the massively obese than in the normal-weight population but may be more problematic. We describe a super-obese female (body mass index, 52.3 kg/m2) who underwent emergency surgery for small-bowel perforation caused by an ingested foreign body (fish bone); the patient died despite segmental intestinal resection and intensive care.
Rodríguez-Hermosa
José Ignacio
JI
Department of Surgery, University Hospital Dr Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain. joserod@eresmas.net
Ruiz-Feliú
Bartomeu
B
Roig-García
Josep
J
Albiol-Quer
Maite
M
Planellas-Giné
Pere
P
Codina-Cazador
Antoni
A
D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones; D004435:Eating; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology