Acute Small Bowel Obstruction Secondary to Hygroscopic Water Beads Ingestion: A Report of Two Pediatric Cases

Foreign body ingestion is a common pediatric emergency, particularly among children under the age of three. While most ingestions involve foreign bodies that pass spontaneously, super absorbent polymer water beads pose a unique clinical challenge due to their hygroscopic nature, with the ability to expand within the alimentary tract. In this article, we describe cases of two children who developed acute small bowel obstruction following ingestion of water beads. Due to their radiolucent nature, diagnosis via plain radiography was limited; however, abdominal ultrasound proved instrumental in identifying the obstructive lesions. Both children required urgent surgical intervention via exploratory laparotomy and enterotomy, resulting in complete recovery. This report highlights the diagnostic nuances, treatment considerations, and growing public health implications surrounding water bead ingestion.