Transverse colon perforation secondary to fish bone ingestion

Accidental ingestion of foreign bodies can be a common occurrence in clinical practice and subsequent perforation is quite rare. The rate of fish bone ingestion is predicted to be higher in some cultures given culinary differences. We report a case of 62-year-old gentleman in rural Australia who had severe left sided abdominal pain and fevers, with a presumptive diagnosis of diverticulitis. Computated tomography revealed intraabdominal abscess. Surgical intervention via laparotomy and right hemicolectomy was performed for an extensive abdominal abscess with a transverse colon perforation and fish bone foreign body in situ (Grunter fish).