Toothpick meningitis

A 66-year-old male with a history of hypertension, back pain, diverticulosis and anal fistula presents with acute onset syncopal episodes, worsening back pain, and altered mental status. The patient exhibited considerable leukocytosis but was hemodynamically stable. CT imaging of the head revealed a gas pattern in the posterior fossa and velum interpositum. CT imaging of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a needle-like foreign body traversing the left sacrum to the sigmoid colon. A lumbar puncture revealed meningitis. Flexible sigmoidoscopies were performed without successful visualization of the foreign body. An explorative laparoscopy was successfully performed, enabling retrieval of what was determined to be a wooden toothpick. The patient remained hemodynamically stable with persistent altered mental status and was eventually discharged after completion of antibiotics on day 47 of hospitalization. This case illustrates a rare complication of ingesting a sharp foreign body that was identified by CT of the brain and abdomen/pelvis with successful surgical repair.