Austere Foreign Body Injuries in Children and Adolescents: A Characterization of Penile, Rectal, and Vaginal Injuries Presenting to Emergency Departments in the United States From 2008 to 2017

Vaginal Foreign Bodies in the Pediatric and Adolescent Age Group: A Review of Current Literature and Discussion of Best Practices in Diagnosis and Management

The self-insertion of a vaginal foreign body (VFB) is common in the female pediatric and adolescent age group. Prompt disclosure to parents usually results in a call to the primary care provider and a visit to the pediatrician's office, local emergency department, or urgent care center. However, some foreign bodies may go unnoticed for extended periods, causing distressing symptoms and complications. Large case series providing comprehensive epidemiological data on this topic are scarce. This review summarizes the current literature on VFBs and compiles best practices for the diagnosis and management of VFBs in the pediatric and adolescent population.

Epidemiology and healthcare utilization for rectal foreign bodies in United States adults, 2012–2021

INTRODUCTION

Presentations to the emergency department for rectal foreign bodies are common, but there is little epidemiologic information on this condition. This limits the ability to provide evidence-based education to trainees regarding the populations affected, the types and frequency of foreign bodies, and factors associated with hospitalization. To address this, we analyzed national estimates of emergency department presentations for rectal foreign bodies from 2012 to 2021 in the US.

METHODS

We queried the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for any injury to the 'pubic region' or 'lower trunk' with an accompanying diagnosis of foreign body, puncture, or laceration. Two authors manually reviewed all clinical narratives to identify cases of rectal foreign bodies. National estimates were determined using weighting and strata variables, incidence rates calculated using census data, trends assessed by linear regression, and factors associated with hospitalization identified by multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

From 885 cases, there were an estimated 38,948 (95% CI, 32,040-45,856) emergency department visits for rectal foreign bodies among individuals ≥15 years from 2012 to 2021. The average age was 43, 77.8% were male, 55.4% of foreign bodies were sexual devices, and 40.8% required hospitalization. The annual incidence of presentations for rectal foreign bodies increased from 1.2 in 2012 to 1.9 per 100,000 persons in 2021 (R² = 0.84, p < 0.01). Males have a bimodal age distribution peaking in the fifth decade, while females have a right-skewed age distribution peaking in the second decade. Female sex (odds ratio [OR] 0.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2-0.6) and, compared to sexual devices, balls/marbles (OR 0.2; 95% CI, 0.05-0.6) or drugs/paraphernalia (OR 0.1; 95% CI, 0.05-0.4) are associated with a reduced odds of hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Presentations to the emergency department for rectal foreign bodies increased for males and females from 2012 to 2021 in the United States. These epidemiologic estimates for a complex form of anorectal trauma provide preclinical information for emergency medicine, surgery, and radiology trainees.

Proposal of an algorithm for the management of rectally inserted foreign bodies: a surgical single-center experience with review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Retained rectal foreign bodies (RFBs) are uncommon clinical findings. Although the management of RFBs is rarely reported in the literature, clinicians regularly face this issue. To date, there is no standardized management of RFBs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate our own data and subsequently develop a treatment algorithm.

METHODS

All consecutive patients who presented between January 2006 and December 2019 with rectally inserted RFBs at the emergency department of the Klinikum Stuttgart, Germany, were retrospectively identified. Clinicopathologic features, management, complications, and outcomes were assessed. Based on this experience, a treatment algorithm was developed.

RESULTS

A total of 69 presentations with rectally inserted RFBs were documented in 57 patients. In 23/69 cases (33.3%), the RFB was removed transanally by the emergency physician either digitally (n = 14) or with the help of a rigid rectoscope (n = 8) or a colonoscope (n = 1). In 46/69 cases (66.7%), the RFB was removed in the operation theater under general anesthesia with muscle relaxation. Among these, 11/46 patients (23.9%) underwent abdominal surgery, either for manual extraction of the RFB (n = 9) or to exclude a bowel perforation (n = 2). Surgical complications occurred in 3/11 patients. One patient with rectal perforation developed pelvic sepsis and underwent abdominoperineal extirpation in the further clinical course.

CONCLUSION

The management of RFBs can be challenging and includes a wide range of options from removal without further intervention to abdominoperineal extirpation in cases of pelvic sepsis. Whenever possible, RFBs should obligatorily be managed in specialized colorectal centers following a clear treatment algorithm.

Management of Asymptomatic Perforation of a Pediatric Rectal Foreign Body into the Peritoneal Cavity Retrieved with Laparoscopy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Rectal foreign body insertion has had an increasing trend throughout the years, whereas it is rarely reported in pediatrics. The management and treatment of these cases can become challenging, since it also can present with atypical or even no symptoms in physical evaluation. A 14-year-old boy was referred to our hospital with a history of insertion of a paintbrush into his anus four weeks before the admission. The paintbrush had perforated the colon and was in the abdominopelvic cavity; however, no symptoms of peritonitis were observed. Rectal examination, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy were unremarkable. Exploratory laparoscopy was performed, and the paintbrush was taken out completely. The patient was discharged in good condition. In cases with rectal foreign body insertion, perforation without causing peritonitis or acute abdomen is possible. In these conditions, imaging examinations play an essential role in managing the patients, and laparoscopy can be a proper procedure for retrieving the foreign body.

Epidemiology and Trends over Time of Foreign Body Injuries in the Pediatric Emergency Department

This paper presents the epidemiology of foreign body injuries in the Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) of Padova (Italy) along with its trends over an eleven-year period based on administrative data. Annual incidence rates (IRs) of PED presentations for foreign body (FB) injuries per 1000 person-years were calculated. Univariable and multivariable generalized linear (GLM) Poisson models were estimated to evaluate the relationship between FB injury incidence and year, triage priority, nationality, injury site, and FB type. During the study period, there were 217,900 presentations of pediatric residents in the province of Padova; of these, 3084 (1.5%) reported FB injuries involving the ears, nose, throat, gastrointestinal tract or eyes. The annual IR of FB injury episodes increased from 10.45 for 1000 residents in 2007 (95% CI, 9.24, 11.77) to 12.66 for 1000 residents in 2018 (95% CI, 11.35, 14.08). Nonfood items were the FBs that were most frequently reported. The intermediate urgent triage code was the most represented for FB injuries, with IRs ranging from 5.44 (95% CI: 4.59, 6.40) in 2008 to 8.56 in 2018 (95% CI: 7.50, 9.74). A total of 170 patients who presented for FB injuries were hospitalized (5.5%). The annual FB-related injury IR has increased over time, although most episodes are not life threatening. Educational and prevention programs on FB-related injuries should be promoted and dedicated to childcare providers.

Foreign bodies of body orifices: A pictorial review

INTRODUCTION

Ingestion, inhalation, and insertion of foreign bodies (FB) are commonly encountered problems in the emergency departments (ED). Radiologists pay a key role in their diagnosis and management. Selecting an appropriate imaging modality is important depending on the route of entry and reported type of FB. Diagnosing FB is time sensitive and requires radiologists to be astute and familiar with varied imaging appearances of FB. In this article, we review imaging features of most common FB seen in clinical practice and their complications.

TEACHING POINTS

SUMMARY: FB in body orifices are frequently seen in the ED. Imaging plays a pivotal role in the management in majority of the cases. In this article, we present several cases of commonly encountered FB.