Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to draw attention to foreign body ingestions in childhood and raise awareness based on the current literature.

METHODS: This retrospective study included 133 patients aged <18 years (74 male, 59 female; mean age, 7.5±3.8 years; range 1 to 17 years) who visited the Emergency Department with obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract due to the ingestion of an FB or food impaction between January 2013 and January 2018. Their demographic data, the type and location of the ingested body, and the imaging and treatment methods were recorded.

RESULTS: According to the history taken from the patient or their relatives, the swallowed object was metal (money, needle, battery, magnet, etc.) in 89 (66.9%) patients, non-metal (glass, plastic, etc.) in 27 (20.3%) patients, and pieces of food in 17 (12.8%) patients. The 56 patients in the first group and 18 patients in the second group underwent endoscopy under general anesthesia. Although the foreign body was successfully removed from the body in 11 patient, it was pushed to the stomach in four patients. There were no complications in the patients.

CONCLUSION: In most cases, foreign bodies are expected to pass spontaneously through the gastrointestinal passage, while in some, endoscopic or surgical interventions may be required. Children suspected of having this condition should be examined in detail and appropriate imaging methods should be used. Endoscopic interventions are especially important in the diagnosis and treatment of non-metal foreign bodies.