Ask Doctor Smartphone! An App to Help Physicians Manage Foreign Body Ingestions in Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Gastroenterology
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Foreign body ingestion (FBI) is a common pediatric emergency requiring complex management decisions.
• Clinical presentation and patient-specific factors complicate the diagnostic and treatment pathways for pediatric FBI.
• Existing management guidelines necessitate a tool for quick, accurate physician decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a smartphone application for pediatricians and pediatric surgeons to aid in the management of foreign body ingestion in children.
• To provide a readily accessible tool based on the latest official pediatric society guidelines.
• To streamline the decision-making process for diagnosing and treating pediatric foreign body ingestion.

Main Methods:

• Review and summarization of current pediatric foreign body ingestion management guidelines.
• Development of a smartphone application based on a derived flowchart.
• Feasibility and usefulness assessment of the application via a questionnaire administered to pediatric surgeon trainees.

Main Results:

• A free smartphone application was developed and made available on major app stores.
• The app offers step-by-step guidance, considering patient and foreign body characteristics.
• The application provides recommendations for radiological investigations, endoscopy indication, and timing.
• Trainee feedback confirmed the app's utility and ease of use.

Conclusions:

• A novel smartphone application effectively assists pediatricians and pediatric surgeons in managing foreign body ingestion in children.
• The app delivers standardized, up-to-date recommendations in a convenient and accessible format.
• This tool enhances the quality and efficiency of care for pediatric foreign body ingestion cases.