Rectal foreign body
Encyclopedia
Rectal foreign bodies are large foreign items
found in the rectum
that can be assumed to have been inserted through the anus, rather than reaching the rectum via the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Smaller, ingested foreign bodies, such as bones eaten with food, can sometimes be found stuck in the rectum upon x-ray.
Rectal foreign bodies, and amateur attempts to remove them, can result in perforation of the bowel
, which is a life-threatening medical emergency
. Medical literature covers examples of items retrieved from patients' rectums. Rectal foreign objects are also the subject of a number of urban legend
s.
Foreign body
A foreign body is any object originating outside the body. In machinery, it can mean any unwanted intruding object.Most references to foreign bodies involve propulsion through natural orifices into hollow organs....
found in the rectum
Rectum
The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the gut in others, terminating in the anus. The human rectum is about 12 cm long...
that can be assumed to have been inserted through the anus, rather than reaching the rectum via the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Smaller, ingested foreign bodies, such as bones eaten with food, can sometimes be found stuck in the rectum upon x-ray.
Rectal foreign bodies, and amateur attempts to remove them, can result in perforation of the bowel
Gastrointestinal perforation
Gastrointestinal perforation is a complete penetration of the wall of the stomach, small intestine or large bowel, resulting in intestinal contents flowing into the abdominal cavity. Perforation of the intestines results in the potential for bacterial contamination of the abdominal cavity...
, which is a life-threatening medical emergency
Medical emergency
A medical emergency is an injury or illness that is acute and poses an immediate risk to a person's life or long term health. These emergencies may require assistance from another person, who should ideally be suitably qualified to do so, although some of these emergencies can be dealt with by the...
. Medical literature covers examples of items retrieved from patients' rectums. Rectal foreign objects are also the subject of a number of urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
s.
See also
- Đorđe Martinović
- Foreign body in alimentary tractForeign body in alimentary tractOne of the most common locations for a foreign body is the alimentary tract.It is possible for foreign bodies to enter the tract from the mouth, or from the rectum.The objects most commonly swallowed by children are coins...
- Urethral foreign body insertion
Further reading
- Busch D B, Starling J R. Rectal foreign bodies: Case reports and a comprehensive review of the world's literature. Surg 1986; 100: 512-519. See also the 1995 Literature laureates of the Ig Nobel PrizeIg Nobel PrizeThe Ig Nobel Prizes are an American parody of the Nobel Prizes and are given each year in early October for ten unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research. The stated aim of the prizes is to "first make people laugh, and then make them think"...
.
External links
- eMedicine gastrointestinal emergency medicine
- Medical Journal of Australia
- Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
- British Dental Journal case report: Don't forget your toothbrush! (subscribers only - with useful bibliography)