Management of foreign body ingestion at a Regional Hospital in southern Chile

Abstract

Introduction: Foreign body ingestion (FBI) is common in pediatrics and can lead to complications. The aim of the present study is to review the experience of our center in the management of these patients and to propose a treatment protocol.

Material and Method: Retrospective, observational and descriptive cross-sectional study, in which the endoscopic reports and records of patients diagnosed with IFB managed by the Pediatric Endoscopy Unit of the Regional Clinical Hospital of Concepción between January 2013 and June 2017 (53 months) were reviewed, with a total of 40 cases. Data recording and analysis was performed with Microsoft® Excel 2016® for MacOS®.

Results: The average age was 3,96 ± 3,24 years. The statistical fashion was 2 years. All patients underwent a upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The most frequent FB was the coin (61,9%). In 6 opportunities (14,2%) was a button batery. FB retention was in the proximal third of the esophagus (30,9%), the gastric body (26,2%) and the distal third of the esophagus (14,2%), being extracted mainly with foreign body clamp (90,4%). The 57,5% showed some injury related to the location of the FB, being the most serious the produced by button batery.

Conclusion: FBI in children is a potentially dangerous entity, so it becomes necessary to have a pediatric endoscopy unit and treatment protocols to avoid complications, especially with high-risk objects.