Duodenal Perforation Caused By An Ingested Toothbrush Handle: A Case Report

Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Article Date: 24 Sep 2008 - 10:00 PDT

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Accidental swallowing of foreign bodies occurs in children and adults. The majority of ingested foreign bodies pass uneventfully through the gastrointestinal tract. However, in some patients, the ingested foreign body may cause impaction, perforation, or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract.

The research team led by Dr. Tzu-Chieh Chao from Taiwan report a rare case of duodenal perforation caused by an ingested 12-cm long toothbrush handle. This was published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology.

A 22-year-old female experienced nausea and foreign body sensation in the throat. She attempted to induce vomiting by irritating the pharynx with the distal end of a toothbrush handle. The toothbrush broke at the junction of the handle and the brush head. Unfortunately, she accidentally swallowed the handle of the broken toothbrush, which was 12 cm in length. Doctors attempted to remove the swallowed toothbrush by endoscopy, but failed. Surgery was then performed and revealed a perforation in the duodenum.

Children usually swallow foreign bodies because of carelessness. In adults, poor vision, mental disease, drug addiction, wearing of dentures, and rapid eating have been implicated as the etiologic factors of foreign body ingestion. Although a conservative approach toward foreign body ingestion is justified, early endoscopic removal of the ingested foreign body from the stomach is recommended. However, the successful endoscopic approach depends on the size and shape of the ingested foreign bodies. In cases of unsuccessful removal of gastric foreign bodies, surgical removal of these should be considered.

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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Reference: Chao HH, Chao TC. Perforation of the duodenum by an ingested toothbrush. World J Gastroenterol 2008; 14(27):4410-4412 http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/14/4410.asp

About World Journal of Gastroenterology

World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H pylori infection. It provides a forum for both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2003-2000 IF: 3.318, 2.532, 1.445 and 0.993. WJG is a weekly journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th of every month. The WJG is supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30224801 and No. 30424812, and was founded with the title China National Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.

About The WJG Press

The WJG Press mainly publishes World Journal of Gastroenterology.

Source: Lai-Fu Li
World Journal of Gastroenterology Correspondence to: Dr. Tzu-Chieh Chao, Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 5 Fuhsing Street, Kweishan, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, China.