Injuries due to foreign body ingestion and insertion in children: 10 years of experience at a single institution

Aim Foreign body (FB) injuries represent a severe public health problem during childhood. The aim of this study was to report our experience with patients with injuries due to FB ingestion and insertion who were treated surgically at our institution. Methods A total of 78 paediatric patients who were hospitalised for FB injuries were retrospectively reviewed. Results The series was composed of 27 males and 51 females, with a median age of 3.6 years. The cases included 35 cases of FB ingestion and 43 cases of FB insertion, including 40 cases with a vaginal insertion, 2 cases with a rectal insertion and 1 case with a urethra insertion. Intestinal perforation (n = 26) was a more common complication than intestinal obstruction (n = 9) in patients who had ingested a FB. The main clinical symptom was persistent vaginal discharge, followed by vaginal bleeding for patients with a vaginal FB insertion. Exploratory laparotomy was performed on 36 patients, while a laparoscopic approach was employed in 1 patient. Forty patients underwent hysteroscopy and one patient underwent cystotomy to remove the FB. All FBs were successfully removed. Of the 78 FBs recovered, 26 were food objects, while non-food objects were found in 52 patients. All patients recovered well, except one patient with an intestinal obstruction from adhesions that occurred approximately 1 month after discharge. Conclusions Early recognition of FB injuries and appropriate management can significantly reduce complications. Surgical removal of a FB can be safe and effective, and relatively better outcomes can be achieved.