Small bowel perforation after drawing a blood sample in the femoral artery: a case report.

Small bowel perforation is a rare complication of femoral artery access in cases of femoral hernia. A 48-year-old woman was admitted to the intensive care unit due to pulmonary insufficiency. After a routine femoral arterial blood gas analysis, severe abdominal pain and nausea began. She underwent emergency laparotomy due to acute abdomen. Laparotomy revealed small bowel perforation. Segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis were performed. The femoral canal was closed using plaque mesh. Special attention is needed during femoral artery access to avoid accidental small bowel perforation. As seen in this case, a careful examination should be done in cases of femoral hernia.