Rectal perforation by inadvertent ingestion of a blister pack: A case report and review of literature

Abstract

The accidental ingestion of a foreign body (FB) is a relatively common condition. In the present study, we report a peculiar case of rectal perforation, the first to our knowledge, caused by the inadvertent ingestion of a blister pill pack. The aim of this report is to illustrate the difficulties of the case from a diagnostic and therapeutic viewpoint as well as its unusual presentation. A 75-year-old woman, mentally impaired, arrived at our emergency department in critical condition. The computed tomography scan revealed a substantial abdominopelvic peritoneal effusion and free perigastric air. The patient was therefore submitted to an urgent exploratory laparotomy; a 2-cm long, full-thickness lesion was identified in the anterior distal part of the intraperitoneal rectum. Hence, we performed a Hartmann's procedure. Because of her critical condition, the patient was eventually transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, where she died after 10 d, showing no surgical complication. The ingestion of FBs is usually treated with observation or endoscopic removal. Less than 1% of FBs are likely to cause an intestinal perforation. The intestinal perforation resulting from the unintentional ingestion of an FB is often a difficult challenge when it comes to treatment, due to its late diagnosis and the patients' deteriorated clinical condition.