Endoscopic Retrieval of Ingested Foreign Bodies: A Single Surgeon Experience

Introduction Foreign body (FB) ingestion either accidental or intentional is a common clinical scenario encountered by general surgeons. This article reports a single surgeon's experience of endoscopic retrieval of foreign bodies from the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract. Methods A retrospective analysis of data of all the patients who underwent endoscopic management for foreign body removal by a single surgeon in a tertiary care hospital in southern India between 2015 and 2020 was conducted. Patient variables in terms of age, sex, type of foreign body, its location in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the time between ingestion and presentation, the time between presentation and endoscopy, treatment outcomes were reviewed. Results A total of 97 patients were studied. The age range of the patients studied was one month to 71 years. Males were predominant (n=64, 65.97%). The most common retrieved foreign body were coins (n=31, 31.9%). The most common site of foreign body lodgment was the esophagus (n=75, 77.31%), with the upper third esophagus (n=38; 39.37%) being the predominant site. The success rate of endoscopic retrieval in our study was 97%. No procedure-related complications were encountered in any patient. Endoscopic management failed in two patients who ultimately required surgical intervention. Conclusion Endoscopic retrieval of foreign bodies in the UGI tract is a safe and effective modality. Early endoscopy in such patients avoids surgical intervention and reduces morbidity.