Pancreatitis from posterior gastric wall perforation by ingested metallic wire—case report and review of literature

Abstract

Gastric and duodenal perforation from ingested organic and inorganic foreign bodies, such as sewing needles, toothpick, metallic wires, fish and chicken bone, are uncommon incidents as most foreign bodies pass in the faeces. The perforated foreign body can at times migrate and either penetrate causing traumatic injury or incite inflammation with formation of abscesses or pseudo-tumours in the adjacent organs such as the liver and pancreas. We report one such case of pancreatitis in a child resulting from a metallic wire perforating the posterior gastric wall and penetrating the pancreas. The findings were detected on CT and the foreign body was extracted endoscopically. We also present review of literature on similar case reports.