Combined endo-laparoscopic approach in a patient with a duodenal foreign body and bowel obstruction

We report the successful removal of an intraduodenal foreign body (f.b.) by endo-laparoscopic rendez-vous, in a 67-year-old patient with mental disorders and duodenal occlusion by a large peach seed impacted in the duodenum. During a first endoscopic diagnostic evaluation it was possible to retract the peach seed into the stomach and have a confirmation of a stenosis of the second portion of the duodenum. Otherwise, the endoscopic procedure failed during removal out of the esophagus due to the large size of the f.b., and a second treatment in general anesthesia was planned. A 4 cm anterior gastrotomy was than performed by laparoscopy, and with a real endo-laparoscopic rendez-vous, the peach seed out of the stomach was positioned, avoiding any intra-gastric surgical manouver and directly passing from Dormia basket into laparoscopic plastic retrieval bag. The gastrotomy was than closed with a single cartridge of a linear stapler and reinforced with an oversewn suture. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.