APSP J Case Rep Vol. 1 (1) Jan-Jun, 2010
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CASE REPORT
APSP J Case Rep 2010; Vol. 1 (1)
OPEN ACCESS
Broken Piece of Silicone Suction Catheter in Upper Alimentary Tract
of a Neonate
Bilal Mirza,* Muhammad Saleem, Afzal
Sheikh
Department
of Paediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital and the Institute of Child
Health Lahore, Pakistan
*Corresponding Author's E-mail address:
blmirza@yahoo.com
APSP J Case Rep 2010; 1:
8
ABSTRACT
Esophageal foreign bodies (FB) are common in
adults and children. These are rarely reported in infants and neonates. A
2-day-old newborn was referred to our hospital with history of accidental
intrusion of soft silicone suction catheter into the upper gastrointestinal
tract (GIT). X-ray chest and abdomen confirmed the presence of suction tube in
esophagus and stomach. The suction catheter was retrieved successfully at direct
laryngoscopy.
KEY WORDS
Esophageal foreign body, Neonate, Laryngoscopy
HOW TO CITE Mirza B, Saleem M, Sheikh A. Broken piece of
silicone suction catheter in upper alimentary tract of a neonate. APSP J Case
Rep 2010; 1: 8
INTRODUCTION
Esophageal foreign bodies are commonly encountered in adults and
children.1,2 The common esophageal foreign bodies in children are
coins, beads, fish bone etc. Small and smooth gastro-esophageal FBs that can
pass through the pylorus may be observed for spontaneous passage through anus.
However, large / sharp FBs may need active intervention to avoid their symptoms
and complications.2,3
Esophageal FBs in infants are rare;
rarer still is their occurrence in newborn. Only four cases of neonatal GIT
foreign bodies have been reported in Pubmed.1 We report probably
youngest of all the neonates with esophageal foreign body.
CASE REPORT
A two-day-old male baby was referred to our institution with
complaints of vomiting after every feed since birth. The referral letter
revealed that the baby was born through spontaneous vaginal delivery in a
private hospital; and during newborn resuscitation, the silicone suction
catheter was accidentally detached from the suction machine piping and baby
swallowed it.
Since then the patient started vomiting after every
feed.
The baby was vitally stable. A radiograph of chest and upper
abdomen showed a tube curled up in stomach and esophagus. Patient was taken to
the operation theatre and with direct laryngoscopy under general anesthesia a
soft silicon suction catheter was retrieved from the upper esophagus. [Image 1]
[Image 2].
Patient showed uneventful recovery and was symptoms free at 3
months follow up.
DISCUSSION
Esophageal foreign bodies are rarely encountered in neonates.
After that age, when the milestone of grasping and putting everything in mouth
are achieved, the incidence of FB in GIT starts rising. About 80% of all
pediatric GIT foreign bodies occur between 6 months and 3 years of age. Zameer
et al extensively reviewed the literature regarding GIT foreign bodies in
neonates. They were able to find only three cases.1
The usual
symptoms of a FB in esophagus are nausea, vomiting, dysphagia, respiratory
difficulty, neck pain and hemetemesis. The symptoms usually depend upon the
type, size and nature of the FB. Esophageal FB can, sometimes, create fatal
complications such as esophageal perforation, subcutaneous emphysema,
retro-esophageal abscess, pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, esophago-aortic
fistula, mediastinitis and lung abscess. 1,3-6
There are three
types of esophageal FBs. Small esophageal FBs such as beads, buttons, rubber
pieces, and button batteries etc; large FBs such as impacted bolus of meat,
coins, ornaments and fish bone; and lastly the long FB such as piece of wood,
long piece of bone and bezoars. The reported soft FBs are pieces of rubber,
rubber-eraser, rubber pallets and buttons, pieces of plastic bags, paper, pieces
of clothes, meat, surgical gauze and sponges.1,4,6-8
Most of
small FBs do not need any active management as about 80% of all FBs pass
spontaneously from GIT.4 Large and long FBs usually need intervention
for their retrieval.4-6 It is estimated that only 10-20% of all GIT
foreign bodies require endoscopic retrieval, whereas, only 1% require surgical
exploration.1 The management options for esophageal FBs are;
retrieval by direct laryngoscopy; esophagoscopy and by open
method.1,4,7,8 Small foreign bodies usually at the level of
cricopharyngeus are removed by direct laryngoscopy. The examples are coin, beads
and fish bone retrieval. The foreign bodies below this level usually require
esophagoscopy or open surgical procedures for their removal.1,2,4,6
Our case is unique because of unusual age of presentation, the mode of
intrusion and the FB residing in stomach and esophagus that was retrieved
successfully with direct laryngoscopy. It is inferred that casual newborn
resuscitation carries a number of life threatening risks for the patient. It may
end up in iatrogenic-FBs in the alimentary tract of newborn as happened in this
case. Moreover, early referral to a specialized tertiary centre and prompt
management can avoid many complications..
REFERENCES
1. Zameer M, Kanojia RP, Thapa BR, Rao K. Foreign body oesophagus in
a neonate: A common occurrence at an uncommon age. Afr J Paediatr Surg 2010;
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the cricopharyngeal region and oesophagus (a review of 226 cases). J Postgrad
Med 1984;30:214.
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2006;16:495-7.
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Jastaniah SA, Haroon KS, et al. Swallowed foreign body: Is interventional
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Saudi J Gastroenterol 2010;16:221-2.
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Razmi T, Shamsaeefar A. Bowel perforation by crumpled paper in a patient
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