Introduction
Individuals with foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract commonly present to the emergency department. The foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract are usually swallowed accidentally or purposefully. The presentation is mostly straightforward, but the occasion can be extremely subtle. A radiograph can detect a foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract.
What Are the Foreign Bodies in the Gastrointestinal Tract?
Children can swallow small, round foods like peanuts, grapes, or candies, which can get stuck in the throat or food pipe. Curious toddlers and infants often tend to accidentally swallow a wide range of inedible objects, which get stuck in the esophagus. Individuals who wear dentures, like older people and intoxicated adults, have a high risk of accidentally swallowing inadequately chewed food, which can get stuck in the esophagus. In some cases, foreign bodies are swallowed intentionally, like by smugglers and body stuffers. These individuals can swallow illegal drug balloons, packages, or vials to evade detection. Individuals with mental health issues can purposely and repeatedly swallow foreign bodies.
What Happens When Foreign Bodies Stay in the Gastrointestinal Tract?
Foreign bodies are objects that are usually accidentally ingested in the digestive tract, and sometimes they perforate them. They are accidentally or intentionally swallowed. These bodies can cause no symptoms or may cause some symptoms depending on the area in which they get stuck. Most foreign bodies pass without treatment. But some of them need to be removed endoscopically, manually, or surgically. These objects can get stuck in various parts of the gastrointestinal tract:
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Stomach.
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Intestine.
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Esophagus.
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Rectum.
If the objects are indigestible and small, they pass through the digestive tract until they are passed through the stool. Larger objects or sharp objects like toothpicks and chicken or fish bones may stick in the esophagus, stomach, or areas of the intestine. The sharp objects tear the GI tract, which is naturally narrow or narrowed by disease, previous surgery, abnormal structures, or tumors. Objects that pass through the intestines still have a chance to get stuck in the rectum. In rare cases, foreign bodies can be inserted in the rectum intentionally and get stuck there.
What Are the Symptoms of Foreign Bodies in the Gastrointestinal Tract?
The symptoms of the foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract occur depending on the nature of the foreign body and where it gets stuck.
Common symptoms of foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract are:
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Nausea or vomiting.
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Abdominal pain.
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Odynophagia (pain while swallowing).
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Dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing).
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Globus pharyngeus (painless sensation of a lump in the throat).
According to the area where the foreign body is stuck, the symptoms exhibited are:
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Esophagus: If a small blunt object is swallowed, it can cause the sensation of something being stuck in the esophagus and can cause dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing). This pain and feelings persist for a short time, even after objects pass into the stomach. A sharp object swallowed may get lodged in the esophagus and cause pain, even though the person cannot swallow normally. When the esophagus is completely blocked, the individual cannot swallow even saliva and drools or spit constantly. Saliva may be stained with blood. The individual may gag or choke. The individual may try to vomit, but nothing comes up.
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Stomach and Intestine: Foreign objects partially or completely obstruct the stomach, small intestine, or rarely large intestine. These can cause bloating, cramps, abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting.
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Rectum: Excruciating sudden pain during bowel movements suggests a foreign object may be piercing the lining of the anus or rectum. Blood may be detected in the stools.
What Is the Complication of the Foreign Bodies in the Gastrointestinal Tract?
A sharp object piercing the esophagus might have devastating effects. Other esophageal contents can leak into the chest cavity and cause life-threatening inflammation called mediastinitis. Individuals who swallow buttons or batteries can eat away the lining of the esophagus and can burn the esophagus. Sharp objects can cause perforation of the digestive tract. Perforation allows digestive juices, food, intestinal contents, and stool to leak into the abdomen. This type of leakage can cause medical emergencies because it can cause peritonitis (an inflammation of the peritoneum, which lines the inside of the abdomen and covers the abdominal organs). Foreign bodies can lead to blood in the stool. If an individual has swallowed an object or vial filled with drugs, they can rupture and can lead to an overdose of the drug.
How Is the Diagnosis of Foreign Bodies in the Gastrointestinal Tract Made?
Diagnosis of the foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract is made by:
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Imaging Test (X-Rays): Foreign bodies can be seen in the abdomen and sometimes in the chest X-rays. Other imaging tests, like computed tomography, can be done to help identify and locate the foreign body.
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Endoscopy: A visual examination of the gastrointestinal tract by a long flexible tube called an endoscope helps in determining the nature and exact location of the foreign body and ruling out the area narrowed by a tumor or other disorder.
What Is the Treatment Provided for Foreign Bodies in the Gastrointestinal Tract?
Treatment of the foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract depends on nature and the area obstructed by the foreign body. Some foreign bodies spontaneously pass through the gastrointestinal tract and require no treatment. In some odd cases, healthcare providers may recommend the person consume a lot of liquids to help to excrete the object. Small objects like toothpicks and fishbones may remain in the gastrointestinal tract for many years without causing pain or symptoms.
Treatment of gastric and intestinal foreign bodies is done by:
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Observation.
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Sometimes endoscopic removal.
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Rarely surgery.
Management of these depends on the following:
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Location of the object.
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Nature of the object.
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Symptoms and signs.
Ingestions of the magnet are unlikely to cause GI complications. Still, multiple magnets can cause hazards, as they can be attracted to each other across bowel loops, leading to obstruction, fistula formation, necrosis, and perforation.
Push enteroscopy or balloon-assisted enteroscopy can be used to access and play the main role in treating small bowel foreign body ingestions. When foreign bodies are obstructed, persist for longer than a week, and cannot be treated endoscopically, a surgical approach is taken.
Conclusion
In many cases, foreign bodies stuck in the gastrointestinal tract are mostly passed through the digestive tract causing no harm or intervention. Many diagnostic technologies help identify and treat the condition; if left unnoticed or untreated, it can lead to critical complications.
