Sonographic diagnosis of gastric-outlet foreign body: Case report and review of literature

Abstract

The diagnosis of unsuspected foreign body ingestion is a common problem in children. We describe a toddler who presented with persistent vomiting and dehydration. A plain radiograph of the abdomen did not reveal a foreign body. However, abdominal ultrasonography promptly identified a funnel-shaped foreign body obstructing the gastric outlet. This was extracted by upper endoscopy. A recent review of the literature shows increasing evidence that abdominal ultrasonography is an equally complementary diagnostic modality for ingested foreign bodies in children.

Keywords

• Gastrointestinal foreign body
• Sonographic diagnosis
• Gastric outlet obstruction
• Abdominal ultrasonography.