J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 62(5): 489-509, 1961

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CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON FOREIGN BODIES IN THE ABDOMINAL CAVITY

Statistical study was undergone on 233 cases of foreign body in the abdominal cavity reported in Japan including 17 cases experienced at the Nakayama Surgical Department, Chiba University and the Yokosuka Municipal Hospital. Most of them were either gauzes and instruments left at the time of laparotomy or swallowed needles and bones which penetrated through the wall of the digestive truct into the abdominal cavity.
Influence of several kinds of foreign bodies being swallowed or inserted in the abdominal cavity on the living bodies were examined on animal studies. Sterilized gauzes inserted in the abdominal cavity remained without any illeffect for long duration. Whereas, gauzes contaminated with staphylococcus or clamps often developed intestinal obstruction or peritonitis. No swallowed foreign body penetrated through the wall of the normal intestine or functionally disordered. Different length and form of needles were swallowed by dogs with relative intestinal obstruction developed artificially. Four per cent of them, which were longer than the diameter of the intestine, penetrated through the wall and came into the abdominal cavity. Swallowed bones were discharged without being digested in cases of achylic or hypochylic gastric juice. Then, if intestinal obstruction associated, there will be a chance of penetration.
Spontaneous discharge of swallowed foreign bodies usually occurred within the limitation of one week. Therefore, surgical treatment will be indicated on the cases failing to discharge them more than one week as a risk of penetration will be involved.
For conservative treatment, fibrous food and administration of purgatives are effective.
(Author's abstract)

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