Careless use of turban pins: a possible problem for turbaned patients

Foreign body ingestion is rare in adults. In recent years, however, ingestion of the pins that are used for securing turbans has frequently been observed among young Islamic women. This article reviews the patients who were admitted to our emergency unit for turban pin ingestion.

Between 2005 and 2009, 42 patients were admitted to our emergency unit with problems involving turban pins. The patients' characteristics were analyzed, including age; marital status; career; type, number, and location of pins; and history of gastrointestinal surgery.

The patients ranged in age between 11 and 48 years. Of the patients, 22 were single, and 20 were married; 19 were students, and 23 were housewives. The patients visited the emergency unit within 1 to 12 h after they had ingested the pins. Eight of the patients had ingested two pins each, while the others had ingested one pin each. The pins ingested most frequently were those with ball heads. Spontaneous excretion took 3 to 16 days. Of the patients who did not pass the pins spontaneously with feces, the pins were extracted at endoscopy in three and at laparotomy in one. The patients were followed up for 4 to 49 months. No pathological problems were noted during follow-up.

Turban pin ingestion is common in Islamic populations, and the treatment requires a systemic approach and careful follow-up. Pin ingestion can be prevented by increasing public awareness and avoiding holding pins in the mouth when fixing a turban or wearing a type of turban that does not require pins.