[Ingested foreign bodies]

Analysis is made of the results of treatment of 54 patients with ingested foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract. The factors which led to this type of accidents are evaluated. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment are discussed. Treatment was conservative in 93 per cent of the cases, while in 7 per cent operative removal was undertaken. On the basis of personal observations, indications for attempting surgical treatment of ingested foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract are proposed.