title: Laparoscopic removal of a swallowed toothbrush.
abstract: Toothbrush swallowing is an uncommon occurrence. Unlike most cases of foreign-body ingestion, there have been no cases of spontaneous passage reported. Consequently, prompt removal is recommended before complications develop. We report a case of toothbrush ingestion which failed attempted endoscopic removal. This patient was managed successfully with laparoscopic assisted removal via gastrotomy. We recommend this approach for the removal of any ingested foreign bodies when surgical intervention is indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, 1000 Tenth Avenue, Suite 2B, New York, NY 10019, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wishner
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery*; D005774:Gastrostomy; D006801:Humans; D020706:Laparoscopes; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D013270:Stomach / Q000601:surgery*; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation*