Pediatric Esophageal Foreign Bodies and Caustic Ingestions

Kristina Powers; Cristina Baldassari; Jordyn Lucas

doi:10.1016/j.otc.2024.02.016

Pediatric Esophageal Foreign Bodies and Caustic Ingestions

Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2024 Mar 21:S0030-6665(24)00029-X. doi: 10.1016/j.otc.2024.02.016. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Kristina Powers¹, Cristina Baldassari², Jordyn Lucas³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA, USA.
³ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA, USA. Electronic address: Jordyn.Lucas@chkd.org.

PMID: 38519292
DOI: 10.1016/j.otc.2024.02.016

Abstract

Foreign body ingestions commonly occur in children aged under 6 years. While serious complications of ingestions are rare, sharp objects, caustics, multiple magnets, and button batteries can be associated with poorer outcomes including gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction, perforation, necrosis, and fistula formation. Initial workup should include history, physical examination, and plain film radiographs that will identify radiopaque objects. Removal of the foreign body is typically warranted if the object is high risk, it is located higher up in the GI tract, the patient is symptomatic, or the object is retained for a prolonged amount of time.

Keywords: Caustics ingestions; Diagnostic testing; Esophageal foreign body ingestions; Operative techniques; Pediatrics.

Publication types

Review