Surgical removal of a long-retained vaginal foreign body with extensive cicatricial stenosis: a case report

Abstract Long-retained vaginal foreign bodies may cause severe vaginal stenosis, making identification and removal difficult. A multiparous woman in her 60s underwent magnetic resonance imaging for pyuria that was refractory to treatment, revealing a vaginal foreign body. The vaginal canal was almost completely obstructed ~3 cm from the introitus. The patient disclosed that a plastic end cap from a broom handle had remained in her vagina for ~15 years. During transvaginal removal, the palpable induration initially presumed to be the foreign body was found to be thick, extensive scar tissue, with the actual foreign body being located deeper than anticipated. The boundary between the scar tissue and the normal vaginal wall was indistinct, so careful stepwise dissection was required to reach and remove the foreign body while avoiding bladder and rectal injury. Long-retained vaginal foreign bodies may be surrounded by unexpectedly extensive scar tissue, requiring cautious surgical dissection.