Wooden toothpick partially embedded in the gastric antrum: a case report of an unusual finding in open access gastrointestinal endoscopy

Abstract

Ingested toothpick is an unusual occurrence in clinical practice. This is a medical emergency and all effort should be made to localize the toothpick and appropriate intervention instituted. We report a case of accidentally ingested toothpick with successful endoscopic removal in a case of a 24year old male who presented for open access endoscopy with complaint of abdominal pain. During endoscopy a foreign body (sharp object) was seen partially embedded at the gastric antrum which was later identified as a wooden toothpick. Endoscopic removal was done using a Caesar grasping forceps (CGF-1-240). No complication was reported during and after the procedure. Ingested toothpick
should be managed as an emergency in all cases and should be considered an important differential diagnosis in clients with complaint of abdominal pain especially in open access endoscopy.

Funding: None

Keywords: Ingested Toothpick, Open access endoscopy, abdominal pain