Combined endoscopic and laparoscopic removal of ingested large foreign bodies. Case report and decisional algorithm.

Foreign body ingestion is a rare occurrence, but quite more frequent in children; adults with mental disorders, bulimia, and dentition alterations; and prison inmates. Most foreign bodies pass spontaneously through the first digestive tract and can move along the entire alimentary canal without giving rise to any major damage. On the contrary, when foreign bodies, because of their shape, size or potential for danger, must be removed, endoscopy is the method of choice. In a small percentage of cases, however, it may be necessary to remove the foreign body surgically. In such cases, the laparoscopic technique certainly can prove to be a most valuable tool, and can be recommended as a first approach. We describe a case in which a large foreign body was accidentally ingested. After a brief analysis of the data in the literature, we propose the decision-making algorithm that we follow.