Iliopsoas abscess secondary to ingested metallic foreign body in a child

Abstract

Background: In most cases, ingested foreign bodies pass in alimentary tract silently. Rarely, ingested foreign bodies enter vermiform appendix. However, when it happened, they cannot reenter alimentary tract and may result in an inflammatory process. We report a case of iliopsoas abscess secondary to ingested metallic foreign body penetrating appendix. Case presentation: A 2-year-old child presented to our unit with her mother complaining that her child developed fever, repeated vomiting, and abdominal distension after one week of accidently ingestion of a rusty veil pin. Abdominal examination revealed right iliac tenderness and rebound tenderness. Abdominal ultrasound and multi-slice computer topography (MSCT) with intravenous contrast and gastrograffin enema revealed right iliopsoas abscess and metallic foreign body piercing appendicular wall with its tip seen in the iliopsoas abscess. We do appendectomy via transabdominal approach with good drainage of the abscess cavity. We discharged our patient on the fifth day postoperatively. Conclusions: The ingestion of inedible and indigestible objects is frequent in children. In most cases, ingested foreign bodies (FB) pass in alimentary tract silently. Rarely, ingested foreign bodies enter vermiform appendix and if it happened it may result in devastating complications as iliopsoas abscess. The is necessary to increase awareness of potential complications of ingested foreign bodies, especially in children.

Keywords

• Iliopsoas abscess
• Psoas abscess
• Foreign body
• Appendix