Original ArticleCost varies with procedure type in pediatric GI foreign bodies

Background/purposeIn pediatric cases of ingested foreign bodies, gastrointestinal foreign bodies (GIFB) have distinct factors contributing to longer and more costly hospitalizations.MethodsPatients admitted with ingested foreign bodies were identified in the Kids' Inpatient Database (1997-2009).ResultsOverall, 7480 cases were identified. Patients were most commonly < 5 years of age (44%), male (54%), and Caucasian (57%). A total of 2506 procedures were performed, GI surgical procedures (57%) most frequently, followed by GI endoscopy (24%), esophagoscopy (11%), and bronchoscopy - in cases of inhaled objects (9%). On multivariate analysis, length of stay increased when cases were associated with intestinal obstruction (OR = 1.7), esophageal perforation (OR = 40.0), intestinal perforation (OR = 4.4), exploratory laparotomy (OR = 1.9), and gastric (OR = 2.9), small bowel (OR = 1.5), or colon surgery (OR = 2.5), all p < 0.02. Higher total charges (TC) were associated with intestinal obstruction (OR = 2.0), endoscopy of esophagus (OR = 1.8), stomach (OR = 2.1), or colon (OR = 3.3), and exploratory laparotomy (OR = 3.6) or surgery of stomach (OR = 5.6), small bowel (OR = 6.4), or colon (OR = 3.4), all p < 0.001.ConclusionsSurgical or endoscopic procedures are performed in approximately one third of GIFB cases. Associated psychiatric disorder or self-inflicted injury is seen in more than 20% of GIFB patients. Resource utilization is determined heavily by associated diagnoses and treatment procedures.