Acute abdomen in a Nigerian secondary to gastric broomstick injury - a case report

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion is seen most commonly in children aged 6 months to 6 years in about 80% of cases. In adults, intentional foreign object ingestion occurs mostly among patients with altered sensorium, psychiatric disorders and patients seeking secondary gain. The most commonly ingested foreign bodies in adults arc bones, fish bones, dentures and food bolus. Majority of the foreign objects will pass spontaneously. However, large and sharp/pointed foreign bodies may get impacted, leading to various complications. Therefore, large and sharp/pointed objects arc recommended for removal either by endoscopy or surgery. We present a case of a Nigerian who presented with acute abdomen secondary to ingested broomstick which was removed at endoscopy.