Ingestion of A Sharp Foreign Body by an Infant

Abstract

A four-month-old infant, previously healthy and developmentally normal, presented to the emergency department (ER) of a tertiary care hospital with hematemesis and pallor for one day, as well as a three-week history of irritability and intermittent vomiting. The infant was taken to various hospitals in their town, where he was given symptomatic treatment for vomiting and the mother was advised to feed infant. Nothing out of the ordinary was reported by the parents. The infant's symptoms were managed in the ER, and baseline labs were performed to determine the cause of the blood-stained vomiting and pallor. Except for a low Hb level, the baseline labs were normal. An abdominal x-ray revealed a stainless steel blade in his stomach. The ingestion of a blade was unknown to the parents. The case was referred to pediatric gastroenterology for further treatment. The blade was removed through endoscopy, and recovery was uneventful. Conclusion: The importance of supervising infants and young children under all circumstances is emphasized