Overview on Gastrointestinal Foreign Bodies in Children

Introduction: Greatest percentage of the upper gastro intestinal accidently swallowed foreign bodies in adults are related to food bolus impaction with meat. Most patients who swallow a true foreign body typically are younger, however young children were recorded to accidently swallow other objects rather than food poluses. Males are more often recorded, and often have significant psychiatric illness and/or drug abuse. Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a very common problem in children. FB may pass through gastrointestinal (GI) system silently without any indication, or it may need an intervention to prevent complications. The diagnosis, decision for involvement and management may have some difficulties, and it’s usually decided according to the case, especially in cases with protracted lodgment. Complications caused by lodgment of ingested GI FBs varies according to many factors and are associated with important morbidity and mortality in children. Objectives: to show an overview of gastrointestinal foreign bodies in children, its epidemiology, risk factors, hazards and management.

Analyzing 13 Years of Cetacean Strandings: Multiple Stressors to Cetaceans in Taiwanese Waters and Their Implications for Conservation and Future Research

This study summarizes the postmortem investigations of 73 cetaceans stranded on the coast of Taiwan between 2001 and 2013, including 51 Delphinidae, 17 Kogiidae, 3 Ziphiidae, 1 Physeteridae, and 1 Balaenopteridae. Of these, eight (11%) were categorized into direct human-related strandings, including fisheries interaction (bycatch), vessel collision and other anthropogenic-related pathology. Gastrointestinal foreign bodies were found in eight individuals (11%). Most of the bacteria isolated from stranded dolphins were zoonotic pathogens including extended-spectrum β-lactamases Escherichia coli, which indicates waste pollution from land. Severe parasite infestation was found in 36 of the cases (49%), which suggests that the immune function could be compromised. Thirty-eight cases (52%) were diagnosed with myocardial patchy fibrosis or dilated cardiomyopathy. The evidence shown here indicates that cetaceans around Taiwanese waters may suffer from multiple stressors. This study provides baseline data for the health assessment of cetacean populations in Taiwan, which may ultimately provide recommendations for future cetacean conservation and research throughout the western Pacific.

Clinical case of multiple intestinal perforations caused by magnets

Gastrointestinal foreign bodies in children are a common reason for emergency surgical care. Among the foreign bodies of the digestive tract, special attention should be paid to neodymium magnets, known for their strong magnetic abilities and high resistance to demagnetization. The usual age of hospitalized children with intestinal magnetic bodies is 2–4 years. Swallowing neodymium balls can be accompanied with perforation, fistula, intestinal obstruction, peritonitis, shot bowel syndrome; septic condition with fatalities. The article presents a clinical case of swallowing 17 magnets by two-years-old boy for a long time. The child was hospitalized without anamnestic date of foreign bodies to the digestive tract. Intestinal magnets were diagnosed radiological. Early surgery with gentle tactics was used. The child recovered. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of these Institutes. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. The authors declare no conflicts of interests. Key words: foreign bodies of digestive tract, perforation, magnets.

Double magnets causing double perforations-a case report

Magnets are unusual gastrointestinal foreign bodies. Ingestion of multiple magnets may lead to serious complications including bowel perforation. Presenting the case of an 11-year-old girl who ingested 2 singing magnets. The patient presented with a history of pain abdomen and bilious vomiting and constipation of one day duration, 20 days after ingestion of the magnets. On examination there was distension of abdomen and severe tenderness all over the abdomen along with rigidity. Abdominal radiograph showed the presence of foreign bodies in the abdomen. In view of features of peritonitis, the patient was taken up for an exploratory laparotomy. Intraoperatively two perforations were found, one in the jejunum and the other in the ileum. The perforations were caused due to the pressure necrosis caused by the presence of magnets in different loops of the bowel. The perforations were closed. Post-operative period was uneventful. In conclusion, it is important to be aware of the problems that can be caused in cases of multiple magnet ingestion and to intervene at the earliest to prevent further complications.

Intusussception Secondary to Gastrointestinal Foreign Body in an Eleven Month old Juvenile African Lion (Panthera Leo) Case Report

An eleven month old male, juvenile lion brought for rehabilitation at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Wildlife Park was diagnosed with gastrointestinal foreign body and intussusception based on the history of persistent vomiting following ingestion of a cotton towel, and radiographic findings of a radiopaque gastric foreign body extending from the fundus to the pylorus and a cylindrical soft tissue mid-abdominal mass. The lion was premedicated with an intramuscular injections of ketamine (5 mg.kg−1) and midazolam (0.25 mg.kg−1), while anaesthesia was induced with an intravenous injection of propofol (2 mg.kg−1). A celiotomy followed by gastrotomy and subsequent intestinal resection and anastomosis was performed to remove the gastrointestinal foreign bodies and correct the intussus ception. The lion recovered well without any complication and was gradually introduced back into the group housing three weeks later following successful alimentation process. This report is probably the first case of intussusception in a lion that was associated with a gastrointestinal foreign body.