| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
|
| Year : 2010 | Volume
: 9
| Issue : 2 | Page : 73-76 |
|
|
Metallic foreign body in esophagus: Are multiple radiographs necessary?
Abubakar D Salisu
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
Abubakar D Salisu
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, PMB 3452, Kano
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/1596-3519.64755
|
|
|
Background: Multiple X-rays required for confirmation and localization of ingested metallic foreign body preoperatively predisposes children to increased radiation exposure. This study aims to highlight the current necessity or otherwise of these X-ray requests.
Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients with ingested metallic foreign bodies over a five-year period in a tertiary health institution. Case notes and X-ray requests were studied.
Results: Of 39 cases of foreign body in esophagus, 29 (74.4%) were metallic and the coin accounted for 79.3% of all metallic foreign bodies. There were 20 males to 9 females and 28 children aged 2 months to 11 years to one adult. There were 62 pre-extraction X-rays consisting of 29 (46.8%) initial confirmatory films and 33 (53.2%) repeat films for localization of the foreign body. There were 10 post-extraction films for postoperative complications.
Conclusion: More than half of the X-ray films were unnecessary and the radiation exposure was avoidable if alternative methods of localization of the foreign body such as the handheld metal detector were available. |
|
|
|
| [FULL TEXT] [PDF]* |
|
 |
|
