Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Foreign bodies, Complications, Ultrasound, Conventional radiography, CT, Gastrointestinal tract
Authors:
S. R. Mendes1, P. Belo-Soares2, C. Antunes2, L. Andrade2, F. Caseiro Alves2; 1Matosinhos/PT, 2Coimbra/PT
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2012/C-1714
Background
• FB are uncommon findings but remain an important reason for attendance at emergency department.
• FB may be ingested,
inserted into a body cavity or deposited into the body by a traumatic or iatrogenic injury.
Most of them pass uneventfully or represent only mild mucosa injury.
Nevertheless,
perforation,
bowel obstruction,
fistula,
bleeding,
abscess formation and peritonitis may occur,
depending on the type and size of the object.
• Accidental insertion occurs mainly in elderly,
pediatric population,
persons with decreased palatal sensitivity,
patients with psychiatric disorders and drug addicts,
whereas intentional episodes usually occur in mentally handicapped,
drug traffickers and prisoners.
• Because many patients who have swallowed FB without knowledge when symptoms occur,
physicians must maintain a high index of suspicion.
• Radiologists have a very important role in revealing the presence,
dimension,
nature and relationship with anatomic structures of a FB,
thus enabling the best therapeutic choice.