How urgent is removal of a foreign body after ingestion?
- Button batteries or magnets, ingested typically by small children, need to be removed urgently because of the severe trauma that they may cause in the esophagus.
- Any sharp object that carries a high risk for perforation should be removed as soon as possible before it passes to a level that is beyond the reach of an endoscope.
- For the same reasons, long objects (larger than 6 cm) should be removed when identified.
- Finally, objects lodged in the esophagus that compromise ability to handle oral secretions should be removed urgently to reduce the risk of aspiration.
