Recognition and management of foreign body ingestion in infants and children: a retrospective study

Background Foreign body ingestion (FBI) in pediatrics has a heterogeneous clinical presentation that differs according to the site and type of FB. Immediate recognition and management are mandatory to avoid possible complications. Methods A retrospective study was conducted analyzing the medical records of pediatric patients who presented with FBI to Mansoura University Children Hospital during the study period (2017–2020). All relevant clinical data was recorded, including the clinical picture, the type of FB, the site of FB, and the provided management. Results One hundred thirty-seven infants and children were included. Most of them were older than 3 years. 67.9% of patients were symptomatic with variable clinical spectrum according to the site of ingested FB. Coins were the most prevalent foreign bodies (50.3%), and the percentage of high-risk FB was considerable. Successful endoscopic removal was done in 123 cases. Conclusion FBI is a frequent pediatric cause of evaluation at our tertiary center, denoting the lack of proper community and family awareness.