Decision-making and Surgical Approach of Unusual Foreign Bodies Found in the Colon - Two Unique Cases

Abstract

Foreign bodies found in the digestive tract represent a challenge in the emergency departments. Decision-making is quite important and should be done in a specific time frame to favor an opportune intervention scenario. In order to choose the right intervention, it is necessary to carefully assess the patient and establish the type of foreign body, its location, clinical symptoms, time elapsed since insertion and other co-existing factors. Most of the time, foreign objects will pass spontaneously or can be removed endoscopically or colonoscopically; sometimes, surgical intervention is necessary. There are no clear guidelines for foreign bodies accommodated in the colon for a long time, and in most cases, this is not a common situation and requires a multidisciplinary approach. This chapter reviews foreign bodies' management and presents two cases of foreign objects found in the colon. Both cases have had a subtle chronic evolution determined by silent colon perforation and necessitated surgical intervention.