Intermittent bowel obstruction due to a retained wireless capsule endoscope in a patient with a small bowel carcinoid tumour

Abstract

A 43-year-old man with a history of metastatic carcinoid disease is presented. The patient had symptoms of chronic intermittent abdominal pain two years after undergoing a wireless capsule endoscopy procedure. Radiological examinations revealed a retained capsule endoscope, and the patient underwent exploratory laparotomy with capsule retrieval. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case presentation of chronic, partial small bowel obstruction caused by unrecognized retention of a capsule endoscope. ©2007 Pulsus Group Inc. All rights reserved.