REMOVAL OF OPEN SAFETY PINS FROM THE STOMACH AND DUODENUM OF INFANTS WITHOUT ENTEROTOMY

Twelve infants aged 6-18 months with ingested open safety pins (OSPs) were operated upon between 1984 and 1993. The OSPs were wide-open in 4 and the retention time was more than 3 days in S. At laparotomy the s tomach and duodenum were explored and the OSP and a Levin tube inserte d previously from mouth to stomach were identified by palpation. The p in was inserted through the holes of the tube and locked intraluminall y without opening the stomach and the tube was then withdrawn from the mouth with the OSP at its tip. When the OSP was located in the duoden um, it was squeezed back into stomach for removal. If the OSP could no t be squeezed back into the stomach due to an unfavorable position, it was locked intraluminally and milked distally for spontaneous dischar ge, No complications related to the procedure were encountered. In con clusion, if non-operative methods fail and/or endoscopic systems are n ot available for the removal of retained OSPs, the proposed technique, which avoids enterotomy and related complications, is recommended.