Medium urgency
-Moderately severe
A gastric foreign body is any object in the stomach that should not be there.
It is usually ingested accidentally in children and the elderly, or voluntarily in adults with autolytic intent and in patients with mental retardation or psychiatric disorders (coins, dentures, toys, medicine containers or other objects).
After ingestion, it may cause coughing, choking, pain in the oesophagus and excessive salivation. Once it reaches the stomach, the symptoms usually subside.
The diagnosis is made clinically by taking a detailed medical history, a full physical examination, an abdominal x-ray and, depending on the case, a gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Extraction is usually done with an endoscope, but sometimes surgery is necessary.
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Dr. Elvira Moreno
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