A case report of fatal splenic rupture caused by multiple organ infection following foreign body ingestion in a detainee.

Among forensic and clinical cases, infections caused by the ingestion of foreign bodies are common. In general, timely removal of the foreign body and appropriate treatment prevent serious consequences. We herein report a rare case of death due to massive bleeding caused by splenic rupture following foreign body ingestion. To our knowledge, no similar cases have been reported in the Chinese or international literature, making this case particularly noteworthy. In this instance, the decedent was in a detention centre for a criminal offence and swallowed a wire unnoticed. The wire remained in his stomach for >50 days, leading to a severe suppurative infection in the gastric tissue. This resulted in suppurative inflammation affecting multiple organs, including the liver, pancreas, and spleen. The condition ultimately led to the rupture of splenic vessels and the formation of a rare, massive haematoma beneath the splenic capsule. Based on medical records and histopathological findings, we infer that the wire had remained in the stomach for ~50 days, triggering severe suppurative infections in multiple organs. The spleen eventually ruptured, and the victim died of massive haemorrhage.