Magill forceps technique for removal of safety pins in upper esophagus: a preliminary report.
OBJECTIVE
Foreign body ingestion is not an uncommon problem in children. Children can ingest various foreign objects. One of such objects is safety pin, which is not widely reported in the literature. The purpose of this study is to consider the efficacy of Magill forceps for removal of safety pins from upper esophagus.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review was conducted for all children admitted to our hospital with safety pin ingestion from 1995 to 2003. In 58 children who had been found to ingest safety pin, the attachment site was gastrointestinal tract. In 12 of the cases, safety pins were located in the upper end of the esophagus. In seven of the children safety pin extraction was achieved by using a Magill forceps with the assistance of a laryngoscope maintaining general anesthesia with mask inhalation.


RESULTS
Safety pins were successfully removed with Magill forceps without any complications in seven patients whom they were located in the upper esophagus. Upper esophageal safety pins in the other five patients were extracted with rigid esophagoscopy for they were not seen under direct laryngoscopy. There were no complications.


CONCLUSIONS
This is a preliminary report, but we believe that the Magill forceps technique for the removal of safety pin in the upper end of the esophagus is safe and minimally invasive method compared to rigid esophagoscopy.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Hospital, Koyluler Sokak, 15/2 Cebeci, Ankara 06590, Turkey.
Ayşe
A
Karaman
Y Hakan
YH
Cavuşoğlu
Ibrahim
I
Karaman
Derya
D
Erdoğan
M Kemal
MK
Aslan
Ozden
O
Cakmak
D002648:Child; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004947:Esophagus; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013525:Surgical Instruments