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Published on: September 11, 2018
Pediatric Foreign Body Ingestion: Analysis of Patient Characteristics and Surgical Treatment
Hee Jin Yeon1, Sung Min Lee2, Kyong Ihn2
1Department of Surgery, Konyang University Hospital, Daejeon 35365, Republic of Korea.
Insights
Foreign body (FB) ingestion is common in young males. Magnet ingestion often requires surgery, highlighting the need for prevention and safer environments for children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Gastroenterology
- Public Health
Background:
- Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a frequent pediatric emergency.
- Hospitalization for FB ingestion necessitates understanding patient demographics and management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize pediatric patients hospitalized for FB ingestion.
- To identify factors associated with surgical intervention in FB ingestion cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 35 pediatric patients admitted for FB ingestion.
- Data collected from June 2018 to September 2023 at a single pediatric surgery center.
Main Results:
- Male predominance observed; median age 25 months.
- Magnets were the most common ingested FB (51.4%), frequently requiring surgery (51.4%).
- Symptomatic presentation, unwitnessed ingestion, and multiple FBs predicted surgical need.
Conclusions:
- Young male children are most affected by FB ingestion.
- Magnet ingestion poses a significant risk for surgical intervention.
- Preventive measures and environmental safety are crucial; surgery is indicated for symptomatic, multiple, or uncertain ingestions.
Background/Objectives:
Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common occurrence in children. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of patients hospitalized in the pediatric surgery department for FB ingestion and those requiring surgical treatment.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed pediatric patients admitted to the department of pediatric surgery at a single center for FB ingestion from June 2018 to September 2023. Overall, 35 patients were included.
Results:
The median age was 25.0 months (range: 7-204 months), with male predominance. Forty percent (14/35) of patients presented with symptoms at admission, including abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever; ingestion was unwitnessed in 42.9%. The median number of ingested FBs was 2.0 (range: 1-25), with magnets being the most common type (51.4%). Surgery was required in 51.4% of cases due to complications or impaction. These cases showed significantly higher symptomatic presentation rates (72.2% vs. 5.9%, p < 0.01), unwitnessed ingestion (66.7 vs. 17.6%, p = 0.006), and more ingested FBs (median 5.0 vs. 1.0, p = 0.001). Magnet ingestion was more frequent in these patients.
Conclusions:
FB ingestion predominantly affects young male children. Magnet ingestion frequently requires surgical intervention, underscoring the importance of preventive measures and safer environments. Surgical treatment should be considered in patients with symptomatic presentation, multiple ingested objects, or an uncertain ingestion history.
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