Is naso-pharyngeal swab always safe for SARS-CoV-2 testing? An unusual, accidental foreign body swallowing

Long and sharp objects can be foreign body intentionally or accidentally ingested. Timing of endoscopy relies on foreign body shape and size, localization in gastrointestinal tract, patient's clinical conditions, occurrence of symptoms, or onset of complications. We present a case of a 47-year-old male with no known comorbidity, who accidentally swallowed a portion of a naso-pharyngeal swab half-broken during the second diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2. The intact swab had a total length of 15 cm and was made of wood. The patient was asymptomatic, laboratory tests were normal, and neck-chest-abdominal X-ray and CT scan were negative for major complications. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was promptly performed to prevent the long sharp swab from crossing the pylorus leading to serious complications and, therefore, risk surgical intervention. The patient was intubated and the procedure was carried out under general anesthesia. In the gastric body, broken naso-pharyngeal swab was detected among the food debris, and using a latex rubber hood, the 7.5 cm foreign body was removed with a retrieval alligator-tooth forceps. Our hospital is located in a high-risk area of COVID-19 outbreak where many naso-pharyngeal swabs are performed, and to our knowledge, this is the first report of swab ingestion during SARS-CoV-2 test.

Automated summary

A case of a 47-year-old male accidentally swallowing a broken naso-pharyngeal swab during a second SARS-CoV-2 test is presented. The patient was asymptomatic, and prompt endoscopy successfully removed the foreign body, preventing potential complications. This is the first reported case of swab ingestion during SARS-CoV-2 testing in a high-risk COVID-19 outbreak area.