Impacted corncob in the anus: An unusual presentation of child sexual abuse

Abstract

Child sexual assault has gained global attention as a medico-social problem with significant immediate and long-term impact on victims, their families and society. This abhorrent deviant act may present with bizarre manifestations including various objects inserted into body orifices of victims. We report a bizarre case of anal impaction of an organic foreign body in a 9-year old boy. He had been serially abused over a two-year period by an adult male who lures him with candies and inserts a corncob into his anus before having penetrative anal sex intercourse with him. The abuse came to light following impaction of the corncob in the anus with consequent development of sepsis. Fragments of the cob were manually retrieved from the anal canal. He did well on antibiotics and was discharged to the social welfare services and psychotherapist for continued care. This report highlights the bizarre presentations of sexual assault in children. Childcare practitioners should be wary of the possibility of foreign bodies insertion in victims, which may lead to severe complications.