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Unusual retrograde movement of a safety-pin ingested by an infant
Stefanos Gardikis1, Vassilios Danielides, Aggelos Tsalkidis
1Department of Paediatric Surgery, Democritus University of Thrace, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece. sgardik@med.duth.gr
Insights
A 7-month-old boy experienced a rare complication where an ingested open safety pin migrated from his stomach to his esophagus. This case highlights the importance of positioning infants with swallowed sharp objects to prevent further migration.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Medical Case Reports
- Foreign Body Ingestion
Background:
- Ingestion of foreign bodies is common in children.
- Sharp objects pose a significant risk of internal injury and complications.
- Gastrointestinal migration of ingested items can lead to serious outcomes.
Observation:
- A 7-month-old boy presented with an ingested open safety pin.
- The safety pin migrated from the stomach to the esophagus.
- This represents the first reported case of such migration.
Findings:
- The migration was likely facilitated by gastro-esophageal reflux.
- This complication is rare but potentially serious in infants.
- The ingested object was an open safety pin.
Implications:
- Infants with ingested safety pins or sharp objects require careful management.
- A semi-upright position is proposed for infants with swallowed sharp objects.
- This management strategy may prevent complications like esophageal migration.
Unlabelled:
Here we present the first reported case of an ingested open safety-pin in a 7-mo-old boy that migrated from the stomach to the oesophagus.
Conclusion:
This rare complication is probably due to a gastro-oesophageal reflux effect, and for this reason we propose that all infants with safety-pins and other sharp objects in the stomach should be positioned in a semi-upright position.
