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Vinyl glove ingestion in children: a word of caution

Gustavo Stringel1, Michael Parker, Erin McCoy

  • 1Divison of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA. gstringel@aol.com

Journal of Pediatric Surgery
|May 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Vinyl glove ingestion in children can lead to serious complications like bowel obstruction and perforation. Prompt surgical intervention is recommended for vinyl glove bezoars, especially in patients with pica or intellectual disabilities.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Gastroenterology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Vinyl glove ingestion is a rare but serious cause of gastrointestinal complications in children.
  • Ingested vinyl gloves can harden, forming bezoars that lead to gastric obstruction, bowel obstruction, and perforation.

Observation:

  • This report details four pediatric cases requiring surgical intervention due to vinyl glove bezoars.
  • Patients included a 3-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome, a 14-year-old girl, and a 15-year-old boy.
  • Comorbidities included intellectual disability in three children and a history of child abuse in one.

Findings:

  • All four children recovered after surgical removal of the vinyl glove bezoars.
  • Two patients presented with unsuspected intestinal perforations.
  • Caretakers were often unaware of the vinyl glove ingestion.

Implications:

  • Vinyl glove ingestion poses a significant risk for gastrointestinal obstruction and perforation in vulnerable pediatric populations.
  • Proactive removal of vinyl gloves from the environment of children with pica or intellectual disabilities is crucial.
  • Early surgical intervention is vital for managing vinyl glove-induced bezoars and their complications.
Abstract

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