OCTOBER Foreign Body Ingestion – Hima Khamar

FOREIGN BODY INGESTION

By: Hima Khamar M.D., PGY3

HISTORY
WITNESSED or UNWITNESSED
Time of ingestion
Description of object: Size, Shape, Length, Width Sharp end, similar object for comparison
Last meal time
History of GI anomaly, surgery or disease

Symptoms:
FB sensation
Refusing oral intake
Drooling, dysphagia, gagging
Choking or coughing with PO intake
Respiratory symptoms: Stridor, Hoarseness
Chest pain
Abdominal pain, vomiting (signs of perforation, obstruction)
GI Bleeding

PHYSICAL EXAM
Vital signs
Drooling, oral lesions
Tripod position
Neck crepitus, stridor
Wheezing, unequal breath sounds
Check ears and nose, especially if FB not confirmed on X-ray
Signs suggesting acute abdomen

 IMAGING TIPS

AP and lateral view of chest, neck, and abdomen

Flat object location on AP:
-Esophagus: Coin appears circular
-Trachea: Coin appears as a slit

Batteries:
-Double ring on AP view
-Step-off between the anode and cathode on lateral view

Magnets:
-Difficult to reliably distinguish single from multiple magnets

Non-radiopaque FB:
-Avoid GI contrast studies for suspected esophageal FBs: May obscure visualization on endoscopy and also increases the risk of aspiration if there is an esophageal FB
-Endoscopy favored

-CT scan may be considered in special circumstances

WHO NEEDS ENDOSCOPY & WHEN 

EMERGENT URGENT NON-URGENT
Esophageal location
-Button battery – NO DELAY
-Obstructive symptoms
-Respiratory distress
-Significant pain
-Sharp pointed objects
-Multiple magnetsStomach location
-Multiple magnets
Esophageal location
-Minimal symptoms
-Sharp longer objects in stomach with no symptoms
Stomach location
–        FB > 2cm wide
–        FB > 5cm long

BUTTON BATTERY INGESTION

Button Battery Facts
-Serious burns can occur within 2 hrs of ingestion
-Symptoms may be delayed
-If mucosal injury is present after removal, observe for delayed complications (esophageal perforation, TEF, vocal cord paralysis, tracheal stenosis, mediastinitis, aspiration pneumonia, perforation into a large vessel)
-Complications may be delayed weeks, months
-Lithium cell batteries are most frequently involved in esophageal injuries
-Determination of battery diameter prior to removal or passage is unlikely in at least 40% of cases
-Assume hearing aid batteries are < 12 mm
-X-ray overestimates the diameter

Coins/Blunt Objects Facts
-Items within the stomach:
—Width > 2 cm, length > 5 cm (less likely to pass pylorus/duodenum)
—Repeat X-ray:
Within 2-3 weeks if Age < 2 yrs or Quarter
Within 1 week if Cylindrical battery
Sooner if symptomatic

Items beyond the stomach:
-Return if symptoms

Coins usually appear larger on the X-ray due to magnification
-Quarter à 24 mm
-Nickel à 21 mm
-Penny à 19 mm
-Dime à 18 mm

 COINS/BLUNT OBJECTS INGESTION

MAGNETS INGESTION
 

RADIOPAQUE/SHARP RADIOTRANSLUSCENT OBJECT INGESTION