T. Toyonaga et al., Penetration of the duodenum by an ingested needle with migration to the pancreas: Report of a case, SURG TODAY, 31(1), 2001, pp. 68-71
A case of a penetration of the duodenum by a needle with migration to the p
ancreas in a 50-year-old man is reported herein. The patient was referred t
o us with a chief complaint of diarrhea. An abdominal plain roentgenogram s
howed a needle in the upper abdominal area. An abdominal computed tomograph
y scan and contrast X-ray revealed the foreign body to be located outside o
f the duodenum and in the head of the pancreas. An emergency operation was
therefore performed on the first day and the needle in the head of the panc
reas was thus extirpated safely. A perforation of the gastrointestinal trac
t by an ingested foreign body is difficult to accurately and quickly diagno
se when no peritonitis or abscess formation is observed. Therefore, the use
of contrast X-ray is considered to be useful in the diagnosis of such a pe
rforation.