Patient education: Swallowed objects (The Basics)

Who is at risk for swallowing objects? — Children are more likely than adults to swallow objects. Children commonly swallow things such as coins, small toys, or batteries. Sometimes, adults swallow objects. This is more likely to happen when people are drunk, have loose dentures, or have certain brain disorders.

Is it harmful to swallow an object that isn't food? — Not usually. When a person swallows an object, the object travels through the person's digestive tract. The digestive tract is made up of the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach), stomach, small intestine, and large intestine (figure 1). Most swallowed objects travel through and leave the body in a bowel movement without causing problems.

But some swallowed objects can cause problems or are likely to cause problems. These objects need to be removed from the digestive tract by a doctor.

What symptoms can swallowing an object cause? — Many people have no symptoms. If people do have symptoms, they can have:

●Trouble swallowing food

●Drooling

●Pain in the neck or chest

●Coughing, trouble breathing, or noisy breathing

These symptoms are more likely to happen when the object is stuck in the esophagus. Usually, the symptoms last as long as the object is stuck. But sometimes, the symptoms go away even though the object is still stuck.

What should I do if my child swallows an object? — If you see your child swallow an object, or your child tells you they swallowed an object, call the doctor or nurse right away. Depending on the object and your child's symptoms, your child might need to see the doctor or nurse.

What should I do if an adult swallows an object? — If you or someone you know swallows an object, call the doctor or nurse right away. Depending on the object and the symptoms it causes, the person might need to see the doctor or nurse.

Do people who swallow an object need tests? — Sometimes. The doctor or nurse will ask about the object and how long ago it was swallowed. They will also ask about symptoms and do an exam.

Depending on the object and the person's symptoms, the doctor or nurse might order X-rays of the neck, chest, or belly. Swallowed objects made out of certain materials can show up on the X-rays.

The X-rays help show where the object is inside your body. Usually, swallowed objects are in the digestive tract. But sometimes, swallowed objects fall into a person's airway, because the airway is next to the esophagus. Objects in the airway need to be removed because they can cause serious problems.

Do swallowed objects need to be removed? — Some objects need to be removed from the body, but others don't. It depends on:

●What the object is – Objects that can easily or seriously damage the inside of the body usually need to be removed right away. Harmful objects include batteries (including button or disc batteries) and magnets. They also include objects that are sharp, long, or made of lead. Lead is a metal that can damage a child's brain, kidneys, or other organs.

●Where the object is in the digestive tract – Objects that are stuck in the esophagus usually need to be removed right away.

●If the person who swallowed the object has symptoms

●How long the object has been in the body

If the object doesn't need to be removed, the doctor or nurse might have you:

●Check the person's bowel movements to make sure the object leaves their body. It usually takes a few days for an object to leave the body in a bowel movement.

●Watch the person for symptoms that could mean the object is harming the digestive tract. Let the doctor or nurse know if the person starts to have any of the following symptoms:

•A fever

•Nausea or vomiting

•Belly pain

•Bloody bowel movements

The doctor might also order follow-up X-rays to check that the object is moving through the digestive tract.

How will the doctor remove the swallowed object? — To remove an object from the esophagus or stomach, the doctor will do a procedure called an upper endoscopy (figure 2). During this procedure, the doctor will put a thin tube with a camera and light on the end (called an endoscope) into the person's mouth. They will move the tube down into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) to look for the object. Then they can use special tools to grab the object and pull it out through the person's mouth.

To remove an object from the intestines, the doctor might need to do surgery.

More on this topic

Patient education: Upper endoscopy (The Basics)
Patient education: Lead poisoning (The Basics)