Successful Removal of a Screw Nail in the Jejunum Using Double-Balloon Enteroscopy

Abstract

The vast majority of foreign bodies (FBs) that enter the stomach pass through the gastrointestinal tract spontaneously. When the FB enters the small bowel-beyond the reach of conventional endoscopy-daily radiographs are needed to ensure its safe passage. However, endoscopic intervention is an appropriate management strategy for a sharp-pointed FB, because sharp FBs have a higher risk of intestinal perforation. We describe here a case in which a 1.5-cm, sharp-pointed screw nail in the proximal jejunum was removed successfully by double-balloon enteroscopy from a 19-year-old-male with autism. This case adds to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the value of therapeutic double-balloon enteroscopy in the field of FB ingestion.