From contraception to complication: Copper-T intrauterine contraceptive device migration leading to foreign body appendicitis

Abstract

Uterine perforation is one of the serious complications associated with the use of an intrauterine contraceptive device, and its migration can lead to complications involving neighbouring organs, including the appendix. We report an unusual case of a 22-year-old Pakistani woman, who presented to the emergency department with pain in the right iliac fossa and was diagnosed as a case of foreign body appendicitis resulting from migration of an intrauterine contraceptive device and entering the lumen of the appendix. This case adds to the limited literature, with only 17 previously documented cases of intrauterine contraceptive device-related appendicitis. To our knowledge, it is the first reported instance of an intrauterine contraceptive device found inside the lumen of the appendix without causing its perforation, making it very rare. These occurrences highlight the need for vigilant monitoring of potential complications following intrauterine contraceptive device insertion.