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Coin ingestion, an unexpected finding at colonoscopy: case report
Matthew J Brookes1, Alison M Brind
1Department of Gastroenterology, City General Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. mbro453398@aol.com
Medgenmed : Medscape General Medicine
|June 27, 2003
Summary
Ingested foreign bodies are common, especially in children, with coins being the most frequent. While most pass naturally, some require medical intervention, and finding them during colonoscopy in adults is rare.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Endoscopy
Background:
- Ingested foreign bodies are a frequent clinical issue, predominantly affecting pediatric populations.
- Coins represent the most commonly ingested foreign objects.
- The majority of esophageal foreign bodies pass into the stomach and subsequently through the gastrointestinal tract without complication.
Observation:
- Once past the esophagus, approximately 80% of foreign bodies traverse the gastrointestinal tract spontaneously.
- The remaining 20% necessitate intervention, including endoscopic retrieval or surgical removal.
- Discovery of ingested foreign bodies during routine colonoscopy is uncommon, particularly in adult patients with no reported history of ingestion.
Findings:
- The study highlights the typical trajectory of ingested foreign bodies within the gastrointestinal system.
- It underscores the low incidence of detecting these objects during routine colonoscopic evaluations in adults.
- The findings emphasize the rarity of finding foreign bodies in asymptomatic adults during colonoscopy.
Implications:
- These findings are crucial for clinicians managing patients with suspected foreign body ingestion.
- Understanding the natural history aids in decision-making regarding observation versus intervention.
- The rarity in colonoscopy suggests that routine screening may not be the primary diagnostic pathway for incidental foreign body detection in adults.