Duodeno sigmoid fistula due to ingested metallic wire

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion has received extensive coverage in departments of Surgery, Emergency Medicine, and Pediatrics. Most foreign bodies pass through the gastrointestinal tract uneventfully. However, 10% to 20% of the cases are generally managed by endoscopy, and surgical treatment is needed in less than 1% of cases (1). A total of 1500–1600 deaths occur annually in the United States as a result of foreign body ingestion or insertion (2). The problem is encountered in all age groups; however, it is more common in the pediatric age group, and the peak incidence is between ages 6 months and 6 years (3). Foreign body ingestion is rare in adults and usually occurs accidentally or in those with psychiatric problems, behavioral disorders, emotional disturbance, mental retardation, or impaired judgment caused by alcohol use (4). We present a case of a duodeno-sigmoid fistula due to metallic wire ingestion by a mentally disabled man.