Introduction:
Less than 1% of ingested foreign bodies will require surgical management. An uncommon complication of ingested foreign body is migration to the liver. We present a case of laparoscopic removal of an intrahepatic foreign body.
Presentation of case:
32-year-old female presented with a four month history of epigastric abdominal pain following suspected foreign body ingestion. CT scan demonstrated a metallic object lying in the left lateral segment of the liver. The patient was brought to the operating room where the object was removed laparoscopically and was found to be a sewing needle.
Discussion:
Hepatic foreign bodies are an uncommon entity and typically result from a transcutaneous or ingested (e.g., gastrointestinal) source. Symptoms are often vague and can develop remote from the time of ingestion. Surgical management is warranted for symptomatic intrahepatic foreign bodies.
Conclusion:
Laparoscopy is an effective surgical method for removal of intrahepatic foreign bodies in some cases.