Management of Ingested Foreign Bodies. How Justifiable is a Waiting Policy?

• DOI: 10.1097/sle.0b013e31816b78f5
• Publication Date: 2009-03-05T18:06:38Z
• Authors: Theodoros E. Pavl...; Georgios N. Marakis; Apostolos Trianta...; Kyriakos Psarras; Theodoros M. Kont...; Athanasios K. Sak...
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Emergency Medical Services; Time Factors; Adolescent; Decision Making; Endoscopy; Middle Aged; Foreign Bodies; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Foreign-Body Migration; Humans; Female; Aged

Foreign body ingestion is a commonly seen accident in emergencies, usually children (80%), elderly, mentally impaired, or alcoholic individuals, whereas it may occur intentionally prisoners psychiatric patients. According to the literature, 90% of ingested foreign bodies pass through gastrointestinal tract without complications, 10% 20% necessitate endoscopic removal, only 1% them will finally need surgical intervention. In clinical practice, we often face dilemma choosing appropriate treatment modality. We present 13 cases treated our department, emphasizing "waiting and close observation" policy. Among these cases, 1 patient needed be operated because obstruction ileocecal valve by large coin. Indications for where applicable are also being discussed.