Sharp Foreign Bodies May Pass Spontaneously Through Gastrointestinal Tract Without Harmful Side Effects

Background: Foreign body ingestion is frequent in pediatric population. Sharp foreign bodies ingestion also frequents in this age group. Early endoscopy removal is recommended when they are found in esophagus and stomach.

Methods: A retrospective medical files data of children arrived to Pediatric Department of the French Hospital of Nazareth, Israel between the years 2010-2015 were recorded.

Children with gastrointestinal malformations or previously passed gastrointestinal (GI) or chest surgical procedures were excluded.

Results: 218 cases of ingested foreign bodies were detected. 128 were boys, median age 5 years (0.4 – 17.5). Of these 218 patients 29 (13.3%) ingested sharp foreign bodies. 21 of them were safe pins, 4 nails, 2 chicken bones and 2 glass particles. Two of these foreign bodies got stuck in esophagus, 19 in stomach, 7 in different heights along small and large intestine and one in recto sigma zone.

The 2 patients with foreign body stuck in esophagus were endoscoped early. From these found in stomach 2 passed an endoscopy procedure 24 hours after admission. The rest of 17 cases passed spontaneously throw GI tract during follow-up of 24 hours. One case of safe pin which was found from admission in recto sigma was also removed endoscopically 24 hours after admission. From all these cases of sharp foreign bodies found in stomach or along intestine who endoscoped or passed spontaneously none was detected with any harmful side effect.

Conclusions: Sharp foreign bodies found in stomach may be observed with close follow-up for 24 hours before removal