Foreign Body Removal

Foreign bodies occur when people especially kids consume items that will not readily pass through their gastrointestinal tract. These items may be strings, toys, coins, toys, clothing, sticks, or any other item that fails to pass.. The problems that are caused vary with the:

Duration that the foreign body has been present
Location of the foreign body
Degree of obstruction that is caused
Problems associated with the material of the foreign body

Some ingested items, such as older pennies or lead material, can cause systemic toxicities while others may cause regional damage to the intestinal tract itself due to compression or obstruction.

Gastrointestinal foreign bodies, especially strings, can often lead to perforation of the intestinal tract and spillage of intestinal contents into the abdomen. This condition quickly leads to inflammation of the abdominal lining (peritonitis) and allows bacterial proliferation and contamination (sepsis), which are both life-threatening complications. While some small foreign bodies will pass, many will become lodged along the gastrointestinal tract and cause discomfort and make your pet sick. Some foreign bodies located in the stomach may be retrieved with the use of an endoscope; however, most require surgical abdominal exploration and removal. Occasionally, foreign bodies will become lodged in the esophagus at the base of the heart or at the diaphragm, which may require thoracic (chest) surgery.