title: Lost intrauterine contraceptive device inserted 42 years before: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The management of a lost abdominal intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) is discussed together with a review of the relevant literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  The IUD is one of the most commonly used, effective, cheap and safe methods of contraception in Turkey. However, IUD insertion may result in uterine perforation which may lead to a variety of abdominal complications or can remain asymptomatic in the abdomen for a long time without causing any complications. An asymptomatic case of a woman with an IUD inserted 42 years before is presented. To the best of our knowledge this is the longest time an IUD (found by X-ray) has been localized in the abdomen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that in asymptomatic patients with an IUD localized in the abdomen, the risks of both operating and not operating should be discussed thoroughly and in such cases, follow-up without surgery may be considered as an alternative approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Adnan Menderes University, Aydm, Turkey. sdemircan@adu.edu.tr
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Sezer
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Odabaşi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Küçük
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yüksel
mesh_terms: D034841:Abdominal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058736:Intrauterine Device Migration; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography