Related Experiment Videos
Dental floss ingestion requiring endoscopic retrieval.
1Department of Critical Care Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA. ncrain@cnmc.org
Pediatric Emergency Care
|November 4, 2000
Summary
A toddler ingested dental floss, requiring intubation and transfer to a pediatric center for foreign body removal. This case highlights a rare cause of airway obstruction in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Foreign body ingestion is a common pediatric emergency.
- Dental floss, while seemingly innocuous, can pose a significant airway or gastrointestinal risk.
Observation:
- A toddler presented to a community emergency department (ED) after ingesting dental floss.
- The child required intubation due to airway compromise.
- The patient was transferred to a pediatric tertiary care center for further management.
Findings:
- Endoscopic removal of the ingested dental floss was successfully performed.
- This case represents an unusual cause of pediatric foreign body ingestion leading to airway obstruction.
Implications:
- Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for unusual foreign bodies in pediatric ingestions.
- Prompt recognition and management are crucial to prevent severe complications such as airway compromise.
- Endoscopic procedures are vital for the safe removal of pediatric gastrointestinal and airway foreign bodies.