Sonographic detection of ingested foreign bodies in the inferior vena cava.

Ingested foreign bodies usually proceed uneventfully through the intestinal tract; complications rarely occur. The wide variety of clinical presentations they produce often make the diagnosis difficult. We report two cases of sonographic detection of foreign bodies in the inferior vena cava, namely one toothpick and one small (chicken?) bone, which probably caused a duodenocaval fistula. Both patients were initially investigated for recurrent septic episodes, weight loss, and deterioration of general condition.