Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children
04:55

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children

Published on: September 11, 2018

[Ingestion of foreign bodies containing lead]

F Martinón-Torres1, T Dargallo Carbonell, S Marcos Alonso

  • 1Servicios de Críticos y Urgencias Pediátricas, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, España. fedemartinon@hotmail.com

Anales De Pediatria (Barcelona, Spain : 2003)
|November 4, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Ingesting lead foreign bodies can cause rapid acute lead poisoning in children, even without symptoms. Prompt screening and treatment are crucial following any suspected lead ingestion.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Toxicology
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Ingestion of foreign bodies containing lead poses a significant risk of acute lead poisoning in children.
  • The acidic gastric environment facilitates lead dissolution and absorption.

Observation:

  • A 3-year-old girl ingested a lead sinker and remained asymptomatic.
  • Proton pump inhibitor therapy was initiated, and the foreign body was removed via endoscopy within 6 hours.

Findings:

  • Despite rapid removal, blood lead levels peaked over 40 µg/dL within 3 hours of ingestion.
  • The child experienced a complete recovery and remains well after one year.

Implications:

  • Acute lead poisoning can develop rapidly after foreign body ingestion.
  • Lead screening and prompt treatment are essential for children with suspected lead foreign body ingestion, even if asymptomatic.

More Related Videos

Experimental Protocol for Using Drosophila As an Invertebrate Model System for Toxicity Testing in the Laboratory06:00

Experimental Protocol for Using Drosophila As an Invertebrate Model System for Toxicity Testing in the Laboratory

Published on: July 10, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Extraction: Advanced Methods00:56

Extraction: Advanced Methods

Metal ions can be separated from one another by complexation with organic ligands–the chelating agent– to form uncharged chelates. Here, the chelating agent must contain hydrophobic groups and behave as a weak acid, losing a proton to bind with the metal. Since most organic ligands used in this process are insoluble or undergo oxidation in the aqueous phase, the chelating agent is initially added to the organic phase and extracted into the aqueous phase. The metal-ligand complex is formed in...
Precipitation Reactions03:10

Precipitation Reactions

In a precipitation reaction, aqueous solutions of soluble salts react to give an insoluble ionic compound – the precipitate. The reaction occurs when oppositely charged ions in solution overcome their attraction for water and bind to each other, forming a precipitate that separates out from the solution. Since such reactions involve the exchange of ions between ionic compounds in aqueous solution, they are also referred to as double displacement, double replacement, exchange reactions, or...
Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...
Cholecystitis01:20

Cholecystitis

Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder, most commonly caused by obstruction of the cystic duct. This blockage prevents bile from draining, leading to gallbladder distension, inflammation, and potentially serious complications. This condition may present acutely or chronically and can happen with or without gallstones.EtiologyAbout 95% of cholecystitis cases are calculous, caused by gallstones blocking the cystic duct, leading to bile accumulation and inflammation of the gallbladder...
Esophageal Perforation-I: Introduction01:22

Esophageal Perforation-I: Introduction

Esophageal perforation is a severe medical condition characterized by a breach in the integrity of the esophageal wall. This breach can occur due to various factors such as trauma, medical procedures, or underlying diseases. When the esophageal wall is compromised, it allows food, fluids, and digestive juices into the chest cavity or adjacent structures, leading to potential complications and health risks.
The location of esophageal perforation can vary, occurring anywhere along the esophagus.
Masking and Demasking Agents01:19

Masking and Demasking Agents

EDTA titrations may necessitate masking and demasking agents to temporarily protect a particular metal ion in a mixture from the EDTA reaction. These agents facilitate the sequential analysis of the metal ions by forming stable complexes with some—but not all—metal ions during certain steps.
There are many masking agents, such as cyanide, fluoride, triethanolamine, thiourea, and 2,3-bis(sulfanyl)propan-1-ol (formerly 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol), with the masking agent chosen based on the metal...