Ingested Sharp Foreign Body in Children: When to Intervene

Abstract

A 6 years old girl was broughtin by her parents to the Emergency Department in a district hospital, 20 hours after she accidentallyswallowed a head pin. The girl was well initially, then presented complaining of periumbilical pain which was dull, and persisted till following morning.The child didnot have fever, vomiting, abdominal distension or passed blood per rectum. She did not open her bowel since the accident. She was also having upper respiratory tract infection symptoms of four days duration.On examination, the child was active and well hydrated. The abdomen was non-tender and no sign of peritonitis.