Patterns of ingested foreign bodies at a tertiary paediatric emergency department: A 5-year time series analysis

Background: Foreign body ingestion is common in children worldwide, and is associated with significant morbidity and occasionally, mortality. The objective of this study was to elucidate the demographics, presentation, management and outcomes for children presenting with ingestion of foreign bodies. 

Methods: Data were collected for 1202 children up to 16 years of age who presented to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge over a 5-year period between 2016 and 2021. 

Results: The majority of patients were male (n=672, 56%) and the median age was 3.0 years (range 0-15). 75% were under 6 years of age. 165 (13.7%) were infants (<12 months old). 160 (13.3%) patients were admitted, and of those, 95 (60%) required interventions necessitating general anaesthesia. Button battery ingestions were most likely to require general anaesthesia (31%), compared to 17% for coins, 9.5% for magnets and 7.9% overall. Seven patients required laparotomy (including 5 for bowel perforation), all in patients who had ingested multiple magnets. Of particular concern, there was a sixfold increase in the number of magnet ingestions over the period of the study.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the continuing significant morbidity associated with foreign body ingestion in children, with almost 1 in 7 patients being admitted to hospital and 1 in 12 requiring interventions under general anaesthesia. The most serious morbidity is associated with magnet and button battery ingestion. Public campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of small objects in a child’s environment, particularly magnets, aimed directly at parents and carers, should be made a priority.