Abstract

Background: Lithopedion is an extremely rare occurrence. Prominent mainly with extrauterine pregnancies. Lithopedion, as a rare condition, requires accurate diagnosis and surgical intervention to avoid unexpected complications.
Case presentation: A case of 73 years old woman who retained a dead fetus for the past 50 years was presented. The patient came complaining of abdominal pain. Examination gave the impression of a large, very hard abdominal mass filling the whole right side of the abdomen, narrow at the upper abdomen and very wide in the lower abdomen, reaching to most of the left side. On X-ray, the diagnosis of lithopedion was confirmed, and the patient was prepared for laparotomy the next day. A single very hard 2,375-g mummified baby was removed with a very small placenta that is mummified too and connected to the right side of the uterus. Minimal bleeding was encountered. Patient seen after 8 weeks in good condition.
Conclusion: A lithopedion can sometimes go unnoticed because of vague symptoms and clinical findings, even with better prenatal care and advances in imaging tools. Accurate diagnosis and surgical intervention are required to avoid unexpected lithopedion complications.

Key words: Lithopedion, lithokelyphos, lithokelyphopedion, calcification, rare condition, retention period, case report