title: Selective endoscopy in management of ingested foreign bodies of the upper gastrointestinal tract: is it safe?
abstract: During a four-year period, 308 patients presented following ingestion of foreign bodies. Ingestion was accidental in 272 cases (88.3%) and deliberate in the remainder. Symptoms at presentation included dysphagia, odynophagia, nausea and vomiting, chest pain and pharyngeal discomfort. Sixty-eight patients were asymptomatic. A policy of expectant management and selective endoscopy was employed. Following initial assessment 202 patients (65.6%) were discharged without treatment, 30 (9.7%) of whom were later reviewed as outpatients and did not require admission. Forty-nine patients (16%) were admitted for treatment; 27 had oesophagoscopy, five bronchoscopy and two had foreign body extraction with direct laryngoscopy. In nine patients who were endoscoped, no foreign body was identified. Twenty-seven others were referred to the otorhinolaryngology service in another hospital. There were no deaths in the group and morbidity was 1.2%. We conclude that a policy of selective endoscopy is safe and effective in the management of patients following ingestion of foreign bodies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cork University Hospital, Ireland.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: McGreal
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Reardon
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hehir
authors.forename: W O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Kirwan
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Brady
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007422:Intestines; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged