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Prolonged gastric retention of a swallowed coin following pyloromyotomy

A G Fleisher, L O Holgersen, E G Stanley-Brown

    Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
    |September 1, 1986
    PubMed

    Insights

    Foreign object ingestion is common in young children. A rare case shows a swallowed penny caused prolonged gastrointestinal retention in a child with prior pyloric stenosis surgery.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Gastroenterology
    • Foreign Body Ingestion
    • Surgical Outcomes

    Background:

    • Foreign object ingestion is a frequent pediatric emergency, particularly in children aged 6 months to 3 years.
    • Most ingested objects (97%) successfully traverse the gastrointestinal tract without complication.
    • Pyloric stenosis surgery can alter gastrointestinal anatomy and function.

    Observation:

    • A case report details a child with a history of infantile pyloromyotomy for pyloric stenosis.
    • This child experienced prolonged retention of a swallowed foreign object, specifically a penny.
    • The object's retention was unusual given the typical passage rates.

    Findings:

    • The swallowed penny was retained in the gastrointestinal tract for an extended period.
    • This prolonged retention occurred despite the high overall passage rate of ingested foreign bodies.
    • The patient's prior surgical history for pyloric stenosis is a key factor in the observation.

    Implications:

    • This case highlights the potential for prolonged gastrointestinal foreign body retention in children with specific surgical histories.
    • It suggests that prior abdominal surgeries, like pyloromyotomy, may influence foreign body transit.
    • Further investigation into the impact of surgical history on foreign body management in pediatric populations is warranted.

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