Castro A, Haq R, Gesner L. Small bowel obstruction with bowel ischemia due to ingestion of water-absorbing bead.
Am J Emerg Med 2023;
73:235.e1-235.e3. [PMID:
37517873 DOI:
10.1016/j.ajem.2023.07.035]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Foreign body aspiration accounts for 7% of accidental deaths in children under age 4 (4). Children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years of age, adolescent boys and children with mental health issues are at the highest risk of foreign body ingestion. Coins are the most commonly swallowed foreign body in the United States (US) and in other countries those related food such as fish bones are most common (10). Most cases are accidental and pass harmlessly through the gastrointestinal tract with low mortality (10). The most common complication is esophageal obstruction particularly at the thoracic inlet. However, the object can become lodged anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. We present an unusual case of small bowel obstruction and bowel ischemia secondary to superabsorbent polymer water bead ingestion in a pediatric patient.
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