Foreign bodies

Foreign Bodies refer to objects originating outside the body that are introduced into it through various means. These objects can be inhaled, swallowed, or embedded into the skin or soft tissues. The management and implications of foreign bodies depend on their location, type, and the time they have been inside the body. This article provides an overview of the types, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and complications associated with foreign bodies.

Types

Foreign bodies can be classified based on their nature and the route through which they enter the body:

• Ingested Foreign Bodies: Common in children, these include items like coins, small toys, and batteries. In adults, it often involves bones, dentures, and pieces of food.
• Inhaled Foreign Bodies: These are usually seen in children and can include food particles, small toys, and other small objects.
• Embedded Foreign Bodies: These are objects that penetrate the skin and soft tissues, such as splinters, glass, metal fragments, and thorns.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary widely depending on the location and type of the foreign body:

• Ingested: Symptoms may include pain, choking, drooling, inability to swallow, and vomiting.
• Inhaled: Coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and unilateral decreased breath sounds.
• Embedded: Pain, bleeding, and sometimes visible parts of the object.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis involves a combination of patient history, physical examination, and imaging studies:

• X-rays: Useful for detecting metallic objects and some types of glass.
• CT scans: Helpful in identifying and locating non-metallic objects, such as plastic or wood.
• Endoscopy: Used for direct visualization and sometimes removal of foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract or airways.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the location and type of foreign body:

• Ingested: Observation for passage through the gastrointestinal tract, endoscopic retrieval, or surgical removal in cases of obstruction or perforation.
• Inhaled: Bronchoscopy for removal.
• Embedded: Local anesthesia and surgical removal for superficial objects; deeper or more complex cases may require specialist intervention.

Complications

Complications can arise based on the nature and location of the foreign body:

• Ingested: Gastrointestinal perforation, obstruction, and infection.
• Inhaled: Respiratory distress, infection, and chronic lung disease.
• Embedded: Infection, tetanus, and damage to underlying structures.

Prevention

Preventive measures include educating caregivers about the risks of small objects to children, using childproofing techniques, and wearing protective gear during activities that pose risks of injury.

See Also

• First Aid
• Emergency Medicine
• Pediatrics
• Gastroenterology
• Pulmonology