Foreign body ingestion in Turkish children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Foreign body ingestion (FBI) is a frequent pediatric concern, causing parental anxiety despite low mortality.
• Understanding the specific types and cultural influences of ingested foreign bodies in children is essential for targeted prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the clinical presentation, etiology, and management strategies for foreign body ingestion in a pediatric population.
• To identify common foreign bodies and evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic interventions for their removal.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for children presenting with foreign body ingestion over a three-year period.
• Data collected included demographics, type of ingested object, clinical presentation, management strategy (endoscopic intervention), and outcomes.
• Analysis of endoscopic accessory devices used for foreign body retrieval.

Main Results:

• 176 children were included, with a mean age of 3.75 years; 71.5% were under four years old.
• Most common foreign bodies were blue beads/safety pins (38.6%), coins (27.8%), and turban pins (18.1%), often linked to cultural practices.
• Endoscopic removal was performed in 34.6% of cases with no major complications; retrieval net baskets and snares were commonly used.

Conclusions:

• Cultural factors significantly influence the types of foreign bodies ingested by children, such as blue beads/safety pins and turban pins.
• Endoscopic removal of pediatric foreign bodies is a safe and effective procedure with a low complication rate.
• Parental and adolescent education is recommended to reduce the incidence of foreign body ingestion.