Purpose: To present clinical and radiological features associated with gastrointestinal foreign bodies.
Materials and methods: Consecutive patients with foreign bodies in their gastrointestinal tract were retrospectively collected (2009-2016). Clinical data was retrieved from medical records. Foreign bodies were divided into seven groups: medical devices; fish bones; elongated metal objects; dental related objects; drugs; intra-rectal objects; and glass. Two radiologists analyzed all radiological examinations in consensus, evaluating which objects were missed on X-ray and registering the foreign bodies` shapes and complications (perforation, abscess, bowel obstruction). The different foreign bodies groups were statistically compared with clinical suspicion, X-ray visualization and presence of complications.
Results: Forty-two patients were included (4 medical devices, 3 fish bones, 3 drugs and 5 metal, 22 dental, 3 intra-rectal and 2 glass objects). Thirty-eight patients underwent X-ray and 14 underwent CT. Clinical suspicion was significantly higher for dental devices (p=0.002) and lower for fish bones (p0.001) and metal (p=0.005) objects. Fish bones were significantly less likely to be identified on X-ray (p=0.005) compared to other groups. The complication rate was higher for medical devices, metal, fish bones and drugs and significantly lower for the dental group (p=0.002). The only mortality case was due to cocaine absorption in a “body packer”.
Conclusion: Different groups of foreign bodies present with different clinical and radiological features. Knowledge of those features is important when looking for foreign bodies and their complications.
