Foreign bodies in the rectum: clinical experience

Background : Foreign bodies in the rectum are among the rarest conditions encountered in emergency surgery and can have various etiologies. Aim: To examine the patterns of injury, diagnostic methods, surgical options, and outcomes associated with foreign bodies of the rectum. Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the treatment outcomes of 47 patients with rectal foreign bodies who received care at various surgical hospitals in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug — Ugra from 2019 to 2023. The study examined factors such as sex and age distribution, etiology, duration of the treatment period, diagnostic features, and types of medical interventions. The results of treatment and length of hospital stay were also assessed. A criminal history was noted in only one patient (2.1 %). The insertion of a foreign body into the rectum for sexual pleasure was reported by 42 patients (89.4 %). Non-sexual causes were responsible for the condition in 4 patients (8.5 %). Results. In the analysed group there were 29 (61.7 %) young people, 9 (19.1 %) middle-aged people, 8 (17.0 %) elderly people, and one (2.2 %) in the senior age group. The average age of the patients was 42 ± 13 years. There were 33 men (70.2 %) and 14 women (29.8 %). In the first 3 hours, 10 (21.3 %) people sought medical treatment, after 1—3 days — 34 (72.3 %) patients, and after 4 days — 3 (6.4 %) patients. In most cases, in 42 (89.3 %) patients, the foreign body was removed transanally. If transanal removal was impossible, laparotomy was performed in 5 (10.6 %) patients. Conclusion. Sexual gratification was the most common reason for the insertion of a foreign body into the rectum. To prevent perforation and improve the prognosis of this pathological condition, timely diagnosis and treatment are necessary