Accidental Ingestion of Dentistry Material - Report of Cases and Challenges from the Pediatrician Point of View

Management of an Ingested Foreign Body in a COVID-Positive Patient

This case report describes a 51-year-old man who swallowed an amalgam fragment dislodged during dental treatment performed without a throat screen. The patient was transferred to the emergency department, where the foreign body was confirmed to be in the esophagus following radiographic imaging. Foreign body removal from the esophagus is routinely achieved via esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). However, this incident occurred in September 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the patient's preoperative positive COVID-19 test, the option for EGD retrieval was eliminated per hospital protocol. Instead, a noninvasive approach with serial radiographic monitoring was deemed mandatory to observe the fragment as it passed through the gastrointestinal tract, warranted by the small size of the foreign body and the patient's lack of signs and symptoms of respiratory distress. This case report reinforces the importance of using airway protection during every dental procedure. Furthermore, reevaluation of EGD as the gold standard for treatment of ingested small materials may be warranted.

Endoscopic Management of Foreign Bodies in the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract: An Evidence-Based Review Article

Gastrointestinal foreign bodies (FB) are comprised of food bolus impaction and intentionally or unintentionally ingested or inserted true FB. Food bolus impaction and true FB ingestion represent a recurrent problem and a true challenge in gastrointestinal endoscopy. More than 80-90% of the ingested true FB will pass spontaneously through the gastrointestinal tract without complications. However, in 10-20% of the cases an endoscopic intervention is deemed necessary. True FB ingestion has its greatest incidence in children, psychiatric patients and prisoners. On the other hand, food bolus impaction typically occurs in the elderly population with an underlying esophageal pathology. The most serious situations, with higher rates of complications, are associated with prolonged esophageal impaction, ingestion of sharp and long objects, button batteries and magnets. Physicians should recognize early alarm symptoms, such as complete dysphagia, distressed patients not able to manage secretions, or clinical signs of perforation. Although many papers are yearly published regarding this subject, our knowledge is mainly based on case-reports and retrospective series. Herein, the authors summarize the existing evidence and propose an algorithm for the best approach to FB ingestion.