[Accidents with foreign bodies in children under 15 years of age: epidemiological analysis of first aid services, hospitalizations, and deaths]. / Acidentes com corpo estranho em menores de 15 anos: análise epidemiológica dos atendimentos em pronto-socorro, internações e óbitos.

This study aims to analyze accidents involving foreign bodies among children less than 15 years of age residing in Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil, in terms of first aid, hospitalization, and death (2001). Data were obtained from general hospital records and the Municipal Mortality Database. A total of 434 accidents were analyzed, with a 3.7% hospitalization rate and 0.7% mortality. Boys predominated (53.7%), and the incidence rate was highest among children one to three years of age (7.2 per 1,000 children). Foreign body penetration in natural orifices (eyes, nostrils, and ears) accounted for 94%, inhalation/ingestion of food 2.8%, inhalation/ingestion of objects 2.5%, and aspiration of gastric contents 0.7%, and these causes accounted for all the deaths. The results contribute to epidemiological knowledge on such accidents and indicate the need to restructure health services in order to decentralize care for less complex injuries, besides emphasizing the need for preventive measures.

Acidentes com corpo estranho em menores de 15 anos: análise epidemiológica dos atendimentos em pronto-socorro, internações e óbitos / Accidents with foreign bodies in children under 15 years of age: epidemiological analysis of first aid services, hospitalizations, and deaths

Analisou-se os acidentes com corpo estranho entre menores de 15 anos, residentes em Londrina, Paraná, Brasil, atendidos em serviços de emergência/internação ou que morreram por estas causas, em 2001. Os dados foram obtidos nos hospitais gerais e no Núcleo de Informação em Mortalidade do município. Foram estudadas 434 crianças vítimas de acidentes com corpo estranho, revelando uma taxa de internação de 3,7 por cento e uma taxa de óbito de 0,7 por cento. Houve predomínio do sexo masculino (53,7 por cento) e o maior coeficiente foi na faixa etária de 1 a 3 anos (7,2 por mil crianças). A penetração de corpo estranho em orifício natural (olho, fossas nasais e conduto auditivo) representou 94 por cento, a inalação/ingestão de alimentos ocorreu em 2,8 por cento, a inalação/ingestão de objetos em 2,5 por cento e a inalação de conteúdo gástrico em 0,7 por cento dos casos, sendo responsável por todos os óbitos. A presente investigação pode contribuir no sentido de permitir aos planejadores analisar tendências, priorizar ações que contemplem a prevenção e atenção às vítimas desses eventos e desenvolver estratégias para a reestruturação dos serviços a fim de tornar mais eficiente o gerenciamento dos recursos.

This study aims to analyze accidents involving foreign bodies among children less than 15 years of age residing in Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil, in terms of first aid, hospitalization, and death (2001). Data were obtained from general hospital records and the Municipal Mortality Database. A total of 434 accidents were analyzed, with a 3.7 percent hospitalization rate and 0.7 percent mortality. Boys predominated (53.7 percent), and the incidence rate was highest among children one to three years of age (7.2 per 1,000 children). Foreign body penetration in natural orifices (eyes, nostrils, and ears) accounted for 94 percent, inhalation/ingestion of food 2.8 percent, inhalation/ingestion of objects 2.5 percent, and aspiration of gastric contents 0.7 percent, and these causes accounted for all the deaths. The results contribute to epidemiological knowledge on such accidents and indicate the need to restructure health services in order to decentralize care for less complex injuries, besides emphasizing the need for preventive measures.

Retained foreign bodies following intra-abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A retained foreign body in the abdominal cavity following surgery is a continuing problem. Despite precautions, the incidence is grossly underestimated. The purpose of this study is to report the result of surgical treatment on 24 consecutive cases treated by the authors during a 10-year period. METHODOLOGY: All consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of foreign body after abdominal surgery were studied. Data collected included the patients' age and sex, the initial diagnosis and primary surgical treatment, period of time between the probable causative operation and the definitive treatment, nature of the foreign body, clinical presentation, predisposing factors, and diagnosis and management; morbidity and mortality are presented as well as guidelines for prevention. RESULTS: All patients were symptomatic. Eight patients presented as intraabdominal sepsis (4 with intestinal obstruction, 4 with entero- or colo-cutaneous fistula), non-specified abdominal pain in 3, persistent sinus and granuloma in 2, abdominal palpable mass in another 2 cases, and 1 patient with vaginal discharge. The diagnosis was established pre-operatively in 15 cases by means of plain abdominal radiographs, ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scan. Morbidity was observed in 50% and the rate of surgical reinterventions because of fistulas or residual sepsis in 18%. The mortality was almost 10%. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations ranged from mild abdominal pain, palpable mass, persistent drainage and granuloma to intestinal obstruction secondary to adhesions or occlusion of the intestinal lumen because of migration of the foreign body and intraabdominal sepsis. Despite this being a rare situation, when it happens it presents as a very serious problem to patients with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Prevention remains the key to the problem.

Extracción de cuerpos extraños en el esófago. Experiencia en 215 casos / Management of foreign bodies in the esophagus. Experience in 215 cases

Objetivo. Mostrar la experiencia obtenida en el manejo de cuerpos extraños en esófago en nuestro hospital. Antecedentes. Con el advenimiento de la fibroendoscopia, el uso de equipo rígido de endoscopia para extracción de cuerpos extraños del esófago es menos común. La facilidad de contar con equios flexibles ha permitido adquirir mayor experiencias. El manejo endoscópico para la extracción de cuerpos estraños en el esófago se modifica de acuerdo al material ingerido. Métodos. Entre enero de 1984 a diciembre de 1994, se realizaron 9,500 procedimientos endoscópicos del tubo digestivo proximal; se investigaron los Archivos del Departamento y se revisaron 215 de cuerpos extraños extraídos del esófago, los que correspondieron a 151 pacientes pediátricos y 64 a pacientes adultos. Resultados. En todos ellos, se utilizó equipo flexible de endoscopia que permitió la extracción del cuerpo extraño en 214 casos (99.5 por ciento) y en el restante fue necesaria la práctica de cirugía. Las monedas fueron los objetos más comúnmente ingeridos en los niños (119), mientras que en los adultos, la comida impactada fue la causa más común (35 casos). Hubo asociación de estenosis de esófago en quince adultos (once de tipo benigno, uno con adenocarcinoma de unión esófago-gástrica, dos con trastornos motores y el restante con síndrome de Plummer-Vinson). No existió morbilidad ni mortalidad atribuible al procedimiento endoscópico tanto en adultos como en niños. Conclusiones. La esofagoscopia flexible realizada en forma oportuna para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de cuerpos extraños en esófago, es la mejor opción con que se cuenta en la actualidad