Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla New York, USA (all authors).

ABSTRACT

Background: Sponge bezoars will absorb luminal contents, enlarge, and subsequently harden. There is significant potential for the development of intestinal obstruction and perforation.

Methods: We report the case of an unsuspected polyurethane foam (PUF) sponge bezoar causing intestinal obstruction in an 8-year-old boy undergoing laparoscopy for an ingested lithium battery that was adherent to the cecum or the appendix.

Results: The PUF sponge bezoar was removed from the small intestine via laparoscopic-assisted enterotomy. The battery was removed from the colon via colonoscopy after multiple attempts failed to retrieve it during surgery and after surgery with laxatives.

Conclusion: This case raises awareness about the presence of unsuspected multiple ingested foreign bodies causing complications and the benefits of laparoscopy in identifying them and facilitating safe retrieval.

Key Words: Bezoar intestinal obstruction, Intestinal foreign batteries.

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