title: Endoscopic Management of Colonic Perforation due to Ingestion of a Wooden Toothpick.
abstract: BACKGROUND Toothpick ingestion is implicated in bowel injuries that may cause violent complications, mimicking diseases causing acute abdomen. CASE REPORT A 18-year-old man was admitted with a 3-day history of a swallowed wooden toothpick. The patient had tenderness in the left flank area. Computed tomography indicated toothpick impaction at the splenic flexura of the colon. It was successfully removed with colonoscopy. After the procedure, abdominal radiography showed free air as a sign of perforation. Along with conservative management, the patient was discharged without surgery. CONCLUSIONS There is need for greater awareness of the hazardous of an ingested toothpick. Endoscopic approach should be considered in the first-line management of toothpick perforations.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Inanc Samil
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Sarici
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Topuz
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sevim
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Talha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sarigoz
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ertan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karabıyık
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koc
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003106:Colon / Q000293:injuries*; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000379:methods*; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed