Case Report

Asymptomatic Gastric Perforation by a Toothpick
A Case Report
Alberto Porcu, Antonio Dessanti, Claudio F. Feo, Giuseppe Dettori

Department of General Surgery, University of Sassari, Italy

Address of Corresponding Author

Dig Surg 1999;16:437-438 (DOI: 10.1159/000018763)

  Key Words

• Foreign bodies
• Gastric perforation

  Abstract

Background: Many cases of gastric perforation with peritonitis, pylephlebitis, hepatic abscesses, or lethal bleeding, caused by ingested long and sharp objects, are reported in the literature. Methods: During a right hepatectomy for a giant hemangioma, a wooden toothpick was found between the two layers of the hepatogastric ligament. It was not possible to find the passage of the foreign body through the gastric wall. The patient did not report any correlated symptoms. Results: There was no sign of inflammation around the toothpick, which was enveloped in thin scar tissue. The removal of the foreign body was performed without complications. Conclusions: The peculiarity of our case is the total absence of symptoms during and after the perforation. Despite the benign evolution of our case, toothpicks must be considered as potentially dangerous, like other pointed objects, and, therefore, removed immediately.

Copyright © 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Alberto Porcu
Via Barzini, 4
I–07100 Sassari (Italy)
Tel. +39 079 228 221, Fax +39 079 228 394, E-Mail alberto@uniss.it

  Article Information

Received: Accepted: January 16, 1998
Number of Print Pages : 2
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 5