Transanal removal of a broken drinking glass self-inserted and retained in the rectum

Abstract

Retained rectal foreign bodies are increasingly reported in current clinical practice, and there is no clear consensus in the literature as to whether transanal extraction should be performed in the emergency or in the operating room. A 47-year-old presented to the hospital for a retained drinking glass in the rectum that was broken after an attempt at self-extraction. Physical examination showed no evidence of abdominal guarding nor bleeding from the rectum; abdominal and pelvic X-rays confirmed the presence of a broken glass, 8×6 cm in size and no signs of perforation. Initial anoscopy performed in the emergency room confirmed the partial fracture of the glass. The patient was transferred to the operating room and transanal extraction was carried out under general anaesthesia without complications.