Intentional Pencil Ingestion - A Case Report of a Sharp Ingested Foreign Body
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 12, 2026

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children
Published on: September 11, 2018
Francis Gan1, Nathan Mercado1, Abhijnya Gowder2
1Riverside Community Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Riverside, CA.
Abstract:
Treating foreign body ingestion in the emergency department (ED) is common; however, certain ingestions may be immediately life-threatening, depending on the object because sharp objects pose the greatest risk for gastrointestinal injury, including perforation and obstruction.1 This is a case of an adult male who arrived at the ED with suicidal ideation and reported ingesting a pencil two days prior. He presented with abdominal pain and hematochezia. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis identified the pencil in the distal ileum. The patient was admitted for surgical evaluation and monitoring. Remarkably, the pencil was passed spontaneously in the stool on hospital day six without signs of colonic perforation. This case illustrates how selected cases of high-risk foreign body ingestion may be managed conservatively, though close monitoring is critical given the risks of perforation, obstruction, or failure of progression.
Topics:
Abdominal pain, CT, foreign body ingestion, mental health.
Related Concept Videos
Esophageal Perforation-I: Introduction
The location of esophageal perforation can vary, occurring anywhere along the esophagus.
Intestinal Obstruction I: Introduction
Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison
Esophageal Perforation-II: Clinical Manifestations and Management
Clinical Manifestations:
Upper GI Series: Barium Swallow
Purpose and Procedure
Patients undergoing this procedure ingest a liquid containing barium sulfate with a chalky...
Esophageal Strictures-I: Introduction
Etiology
The primary cause of esophageal strictures is long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), accounting for about 70 to 80% of adult cases. Chronic acid reflux can lead to injury and scarring of the esophageal lining, culminating in...