Foreign Body Removal

Visit the Emergency Room If You Require Foreign Body Removal

If a foreign object enters your body, you have to decide between removing it at home or going to the emergency room. If it’s just a splinter, you can use tweezers to take it out as long as it isn’t too large or in a vulnerable body part, such as the eye. However, some foreign bodies should be removed by a doctor to avoid tissue damage and infection.

How Do Foreign Objects Enter the Body?

Foreign objects can penetrate the skin and then stay in place, damaging the tissue. Also, they can enter through your eyes, nose, ears, skin, anus, and vagina. In each case, the object can get stuck in the body, requiring medical intervention.

Do You Need a Doctor to Remove the Foreign Body?

It’s always best to proceed with caution when dealing with a foreign body. However, there are some signs that it is an emergency. Go to the emergency room if:

• The foreign body is in your eye.
• You cannot reach the object to remove it.
• You suffered a traumatic injury.
• It’s a choking hazard.
• The foreign body is lodged in the skin and has caused a wound.

If you are having trouble breathing because of the foreign body, call 911. Paramedics can arrive quickly to assist you. Then, they will take you to the emergency room for further treatment.

Foreign Bodies and Children

Children are curious creatures, and sometimes, they pick up objects and stick them in their noses or ears. Swallowing objects is also a serious problem for small children.

In most cases, swallowed items pass through the body naturally. In fact, parents might not even initially realize their child ingested something. However, bowel obstruction and perforation are also possible. If you suspect your child has swallowed a foreign object, visit the emergency room for diagnostic testing. This can prevent a serious complication.

How Are Objects Removed?

If the object is accessible from outside of the body, the provider can use forceps, water irrigation, and a suction catheter to remove it. However, foreign body surgery is required if the object is inside the body. In this case, the provider might recommend open or laparoscopic surgery to remove the object so you can recover.

In general, you should treat foreign bodies as medical emergencies. Visit the emergency room if you are your child needs assistance with removal.