Removal of a mis-swallowed long spoon via gastrotomy--a case report

Foreign body ingestions are a frequent occurrence, a common presentation at emergency departments, but long, pointed-end metallic spoon swallowing is an uncommon occurrence. Unlike most cases of foreign-body ingestion, there have been no cases of spontaneous passage reported. Consequently, prompt removal is recommended before complications develop. We report a case of accidental ingestion of a long, pointed metallic spoon which failed to pass through the gastrointestinal tract and be excreted. This patient was managed successfully with gastrotomy to remove the object. We recommend this approach for the removal of long pointed foreign bodies to avoid complications developing.