Prolonged Epigastric Pain Caused by a Leaf Stem Embedded in the Gastric Wall

Intern Med. 2018 Sep 1;57(17):2497-2500. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.0751-17. Epub 2018 Mar 30.

Abstract

A 67-year-old woman underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy to determine the cause of her prolonged epigastric pain. During the examination, a sharp-pointed foreign body was observed; the edge of the object had been embedded in the gastric wall. The object was removed via an endoscope, and the patients' symptoms improved immediately. Based on a dietary history and an electron microscope examination, we identified the object as a stem of mizuna, a potherb mustard. Our report indicates that commonly eaten leafy green vegetables can act as sharp-pointed foreign bodies with the potential to injure the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Keywords: electron microscopy; epigastric pain; foreign body; leaf stem.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / diagnosis
  • Abdominal Pain / etiology*
  • Aged
  • Eating
  • Endoscopy, Digestive System
  • Female
  • Foreign Bodies / complications*
  • Foreign Bodies / diagnosis*
  • Foreign Bodies / surgery
  • Humans
  • Stomach*