A Review of Pediatric Foreign Body Ingestion and Management

Pediatric foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common problem throughout the world. The type of FB that is ingested, the anatomical location of the FB, and the time to medical presentation are all factors that determine how the child will be treated. Unfortunately, there is not a universally implemented algorithm on how to deal with this concern. We review the literature and discuss the different types of foreign bodies that are ingested as well as highlight the differences and similarities in their management plans. We also present a possible algorithm to the approach of the pediatric patient with a concern for FB ingestion.