Objective: Although ingestion of foreign bodies are encountered frequently in childhood, the management is not standardized. We analyzed the management of 1343 cases of foreign body ingestion in children.

Methods: The 1343 cases of ingestion foreign bodies admitted to our clinic in between 1999 to 2009 have been evaluated.

Results: In 1264 patients (92.5%) the ingested foreign body had passed beyond the gastroesophageal junction. 4.7% of the patients had transient symptoms at the moment of ingestion, such as retrosternal pain and dysphagia. The most frequently ingested foreign bodies were metal coins. Foreign bodies in the esophagus were removed by rigid esophagoscopy in 79 patients. 98% of the foreign bodies were defecated after passing from esophagus to gastrointestinal tract without any incident. In 13 patients open safety pin could not pass the duodenal angulation and all of them were removed by endoscopy or surgery.

Conclusion: The nature and localisation of the foreign bodies are important for the therapatic measures. Foreign bodies in the esophagus must be removed because of risk of obstruction and erosion of mucosa. If the foreign bodies do not leave the stomach in four days, it should be removed by endoscopy or surgery

Keywords: Foreign body ingestion child