Emergency department management of retained rectal foreign bodies

A plastic toothbrush case was removed from the rectum of a prison inmate in the emergency department using a rigid sigmoidoscope and a fogarty catheter. The patient was subsequently discharged from the emergency department. Previous literature regarding rectal foreign bodies has emphasized inpatient treatment and tended to ignore the potential value of the emergency service. Guidelines for selecting appropriate patients for emergency department management are presented and basic principles for safe outpatient removal are reviewed.