Foreign body in the digestive tract

Foreign body impaction in the digestive tract is a common clinical problem. Children, elderly people, individuals with intellectual disabilities, psychiatric patients, and prisoners often seek help because of it. Most foreign bodies pass through the digestive tract without symptoms and only cause minimal mucosal damage. However, in 10-20% of cases, non-operative treatment is required, and less than 1% of patients develop complications such as intestinal obstruction, perforation, severe bleeding, abscess formation, sepsis. Foreign bodies from the digestive tract are removed endoscopically.

Source | Author Doctor Nikas Samuolis, reviewed by Prof. Virginijus Šapoka | Vilnius University | Faculty of Medicine | Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Oncology