Abstract

Ingestion of foreign particle is a common phenomenon that we encounter in our day to day clinical practice. It is classified as either accidental or self administration or due to psychotic behavior. However most of the foreign bodies pass without causing any complications. Only about 1% is known to cause complications particularly hollow viscous perforation. Commonly ingested items that are encountered are coins, toy parts, spoons, spring coils, nails, fish bone batteries, dentures, hair, indigestible food particles. Endoscopy can be tried in cases of ingested foreign bodies for their removal which are present in stomach or duodenum. Intestinal obstruction and perforation require emergency exploratory laparotomy in these cases. In this report we present an unusual case who presented to emergency room with acute abdomen with multiple intestinal perforation that underwent exploratory laparotomy and it was found that the patient had ingested cinnamon of approx 4x2 cm with pointed edge along with the food that he ate in the afternoon.

Keywords: Foreign body, Peritonitis, laparotomy.