title: Foreign Bodies Ingestion in Children: Experience of 61 Cases in a Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit from Romania.
abstract: The ingestion of foreign bodies is a worldwide pediatric pathology. We assessed the clinical, endoscopic, and therapeutic aspects of this condition in a pediatric gastroenterology unit. We reviewed 61 patients (median age of 3.25 ± 4.7 years). The most frequently ingested objects were coins (26.23%), unidentified metal objects (13.11%), bones (8.19%), batteries, and buttons (6.55%). The clinical features we encountered included abdominal pain (55.73%), vomiting (34.42%), and asymptomatic children (29.5%). Routine X-ray examination enabled finding the foreign body in 42 of the cases. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed within 24-72 hours. 25 cases resulted in a negative endoscopy (40.98%), 19 objects (31.14%) were removed using a polypectomy snare, and extraction failure occurred in 17 patients (27.86%). 28 foreign bodies were passed without incidents; in 14 cases, the swallowed objects were never found. In one case, a battery was stuck in the esophageal folds and led to tracheal-esophageal fistula and bronchopneumonia and later to esophageal stenosis. We report a large proportion of foreign bodies that could not be identified or removed due to lack of early endoscopy and poor technical settings. Batteries and sharp objects lead to severe complications and preschool-age children are at high risk for such events.
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Strada Universitatii, No. 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania; "St. Mary" Emergency Hospital for Children, Strada Vasile Lupu, No. 62, 700309 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Smaranda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diaconescu
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Strada Universitatii, No. 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania; "St. Mary" Emergency Hospital for Children, Strada Vasile Lupu, No. 62, 700309 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Nicoleta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gimiga
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Strada Universitatii, No. 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania; "St. Mary" Emergency Hospital for Children, Strada Vasile Lupu, No. 62, 700309 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Ioan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sarbu
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Strada Universitatii, No. 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania; "St. Spiridon" Emergency Hospital, Bulevardul Independentei, No. 1, 700111 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stefanescu
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Strada Universitatii, No. 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania; "St. Mary" Emergency Hospital for Children, Strada Vasile Lupu, No. 62, 700309 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Olaru
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Strada Universitatii, No. 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania; "St. Mary" Emergency Hospital for Children, Strada Vasile Lupu, No. 62, 700309 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Ileana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ioniuc
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Strada Universitatii, No. 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania; "St. Mary" Emergency Hospital for Children, Strada Vasile Lupu, No. 62, 700309 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Iulia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ciongradi
authors.affiliation: "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Strada Universitatii, No. 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania; "St. Mary" Emergency Hospital for Children, Strada Vasile Lupu, No. 62, 700309 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Marin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burlea