Endoscopic removal of accidentally swallowed toothbrush

ABSTRACT

Foreign body ingestion is a very well recognized problem that confronts surgeons. Toothbrush ingestion is rare, with only a few cases reported. We report a case of accidental swallowing of a long toothbrush and review the available literature on the complication and management of toothbrush swallowing. A 15-year-old female presented to the emergency room in Al-Sabah hospital, Kuwait, complaining of having swallowed her toothbrush. In addition to routine biochemical investigations, abdominal and chest X-ray were done. Abdominal X-ray revealed a foreign body [toothbrush] in the stomach. Endoscopy was used successfully to remove the toothbrush with no complication. The case is reported because of its rare nature