Noningested intraperitoneal foreign body causing chronic abdominal pain: a role for laparoscopy in the diagnosis

In this article, we present an unusual case of a young boy who presented with abdominal pain and was found to have a sewing needle that had migrated through the abdominal wall into the peritoneal space. After imaging and endoscopy, the needle was extracted laparoscopically without any evidence of intra-abdominal organ injury and with a good long-term outcome for the child. There are no other such reported cases in the literature. This case highlights the subtleties in management of intra-abdominal foreign bodies in children including rare causes such noningested foreign bodies. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.