Foreign Body

Telephone handset in rectum
Cocaine bags in colon

Foreign bodies are uncommon, but they are important and interesting. Foreign bodies may be ingested, inserted into a body cavity, or deposited into the body by a traumatic or iatrogenic injury.

Foreign body ingestions or insertions are seen in four broad categories of patients:

• Children
• Mentally handicapped persons. May present multiple times for unusual injuries and foreign body insertions and ingestions.
• Adults with unusual sexual behaviors
• "Normal" adults or children with predisposing factors or injurious situational problems. This group includes individuals who may abuse drugs or alcohol, engage in criminal activities, engage in extreme sporting activities, or may be subject to child or spousal abuse.

The rectum, vagina, urethra, nose, and ear are favorite sites for insertion of foreign objects.

References

• Hunter TB, Taljanovic MS. Foreign bodies. Radiographics. 2003 May-Jun;23(3):731-57.
• Rolando Reyna, mypacs.net