2021 Annual Report of the National Poison Data System© (NPDS) from America's Poison Centers: 39th Annual Report.

ABSTRACTINTRODUCTION: This is the 39th Annual Report of America's Poison Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS). As of 1 January, 2021, all 55 of the nation's poison centers (PCs) uploaded case data automatically to NPDS. The upload interval was 4.87 [4.38, 8.62] (median [25%, 75%]) minutes, effectuating a near real-time national exposure and information database and surveillance system. METHODS: We analyzed the case data tabulating specific indices from NPDS. The methodology was similar to that of previous years. Where changes were introduced, the differences are identified. Cases with medical outcomes of death were evaluated by a team of medical and clinical toxicologist reviewers using an ordinal scale of 1-6 to assess the Relative Contribution to Fatality (RCF) of the exposure. RESULTS: In 2021, 2,851,166 closed encounters were logged by NPDS: 2,080,917 human exposures, 62,189 animal exposures, 703,086 information requests, 4,920 human confirmed nonexposures, and 54 animal confirmed nonexposures. Total encounters showed a 14.0% decrease from 2020, and human exposure cases decreased by 2.22%, while health care facility (HCF) human exposure cases increased by 7.20%. All information requests decreased by 37.0%, medication identification (Drug ID) requests decreased by 20.8%, and medical information requests showed a 61.1% decrease, although these remain about 13-fold higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Drug Information requests showed a 146% increase, reflecting COVID-19 vaccine calls to PCs. Human exposures with less serious outcomes have decreased 1.80% per year since 2008, while those with more serious outcomes (moderate, major or death) have increased 4.56% per year since 2000.Consistent with the previous year, the top 5 substance classes most frequently involved in all human exposures were analgesics (11.2%), household cleaning substances (7.49%), cosmetics/personal care products (5.88%), antidepressants (5.61%), and sedatives/hypnotics/antipsychotics (4.73%). As a class, antidepressant exposures increased most rapidly, by 1,663 cases/year (5.30%/year) over the past 10 years for cases with more serious outcomes.The top 5 most common exposures in children age 5 years or less were cosmetics/personal care products (10.8%), household cleaning substances (10.7%), analgesics (8.16%), dietary supplements/herbals/homeopathic (7.00%), and foreign bodies/toys/miscellaneous (6.51%). Drug identification requests comprised 3.64% of all information contacts. NPDS documented 4,497 human exposures resulting in death; 3,809 (84.7%) of these were judged as related (RCF of 1-Undoubtedly responsible, 2-Probably responsible, or 3-Contributory). CONCLUSIONS: These data support the continued value of PC expertise and the need for specialized medical toxicology information to manage more serious exposures. Unintentional and intentional exposures continue to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. The near real-time status of NPDS represents a national public health resource to collect and monitor US exposure cases and information contacts. The continuing mission of NPDS is to provide a nationwide infrastructure for surveillance for all types of exposures (e.g., foreign body, infectious, venomous, chemical agent, or commercial product), and the identification and tracking of significant public health events. NPDS is a model system for the near real-time surveillance of national and global public health.

Management of Magnet Ingestions at a Large Tertiary Care Children's Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To review the clinical management and outcomes of magnet ingestions at a large tertiary children's hospital. To determine the association of frequency of high-powered magnet ingestion with the regulation of these magnets. METHODS: Children <18 years who presented to the emergency room and were admitted to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for ingestion of single or multiple magnets from January 2008 to December 2020 were included. Demographics, symptoms, management, and outcomes were analyzed. The frequency of magnet ingestion was compared over 3 eras: (1) pre-ban (2008-2012), (2) intra-ban (2013-2016), and (3) post-ban (2017-2020). RESULTS: There were 167 magnet ingestions, including 99 with multiple magnets. Most patients (59%) were male and median age was 6 (interquartile range, 3-9) years. Most single magnet ingestions (86%) were discharged with outpatient monitoring, and none experienced severe outcomes. Multiple magnet ingestions led to significant morbidity including hospitalizations (68%), endoscopic procedures (48%), surgical procedures (14%), and severe outcomes (12%). Most patients (75%) were asymptomatic, however, there was a higher risk of surgery and severe complications based on the presence of symptoms ( P = 0.003). The rate of surgical intervention was higher with ≥3 magnets (31.7%) compared to 2 magnets (2.4%) ( P < 0.003). Additionally, we found an 160% increase in children with magnet ingestions in the post-ban period ( P = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple magnet ingestion is associated with high morbidity and rate of severe outcomes. There is a relationship between public policy of magnet sale and frequency of magnet ingestion.

Acute appendicitis, foreign bodies and COVID-19 vaccination: correspondence.

We would like to comment on the publication "Uncommon causes of acute appendicitis: foreign bodies in the cecal appendix." Rodríguez Lucas et al. presented a COVID-19 recipient who presented with acute appendicitis and surgical exploration detected dental prosthesis. The foreign body might be the cause of acute appendicitis. Dental protsthesis is a possible problematic foreign body that might be trapped in appendix. The history of dental prosthesis loss might be a useful clue for this specific clinical situation.

Uncommon causes of acute appendicitis: foreign bodies in the cecal appendix.

A 50-year-old woman with a history of hysterectomy for endometrial cancer in 2015 visited because of abdominal pain for 1 week and fever simultaneous with her third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Physical examination revealed a mobile mass in the right iliac fossa, and laboratory testing showed C-reactive protein at 3 mg/dL, with no further changes. Ultrasound results were consistent with an appendiceal inflammatory mass, and a CT scan revealed an appendicolith as likely cause. The patient was subjected to laparoscopy, which found inside the mass a metallic piece (dental prosthesis) that perforated the appendiceal lumen at the mid portion of the appendix. Appendectomy was completed and the patient was discharged on the third day post-procedure.

Liver abscess in the caudate lobe caused by a fishbone and treated by laparoscopy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Ingestion of fish bones leading to gastric perforation and inducing abscess formation in the caudate lobe of the liver is very rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old man presented to our hospital with a 2-day history of subxiphoid pain. There were no specific symptoms other than pain. Laboratory tests showed only an increase in the number and percentage of neutrophils. Contrast-enhanced Computerized tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed two linear dense opacities in the gastric cardia, one of which penetrated the stomach and was adjacent to the caudate lobe of the liver, with inflammatory changes in the caudate lobe. We finally diagnosed his condition as a caudate lobe abscess secondary to intestinal perforation caused by a fishbone based on the history and imaging findings. The patient underwent 3D laparoscopic partial caudate lobectomy, incision and drainage of the liver abscess, and fishbone removal. The procedure was successful and we removed the fishbone from the liver. The patient was discharged on the 9th postoperative day without other complications. CONCLUSIONS: Liver abscess caused by foreign bodies requires multidisciplinary treatment. Especially when located in the caudate lobe, we must detect and remove the cause of the abscess as early as possible. Foreign bodies that perforate the gastrointestinal tract can penetrate to the liver and cause abscess formation, as in this case. When exploring the etiology of liver abscesses, we should investigate the general condition, including the whole gastrointestinal tract.

A change in clinical practice for aural foreign bodies - what we learnt from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: This case series, conducted during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, investigates the impact of leaving aural foreign bodies in situ for a prolonged period of time, including the risk of complications and success rates of subsequent removal attempts. METHOD: A retrospective study of aural foreign body referrals over a six-month period was carried out. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients with 35 foreign bodies were identified (6 organic and 29 inorganic). The duration of foreign bodies left in situ ranged from 1 to 78 days. Four patients suffered from traumatic removal upon initial attempts. First attempts made by non-ENT specialists (68.8 per cent) all failed and were associated with a high risk of trauma (36.4 per cent). CONCLUSION: Because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, this is the first case series to specifically investigate the relationship between the duration of aural foreign bodies left in situ and the risk of complications. Our data suggest that prolonged duration does not increase the incidence of complications.

Posttraumatic bronchobiliary fistulae due to foreign body remnants after a road traffic injury: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Bronchobiliary fistula is an extremely rare disease that involves abnormal communication between a hepatic segment and bronchial tree. It is mostly caused by untreated hydatid cyst, liver abscess, iatrogenic stenosis, and, rarely, trauma. CASE PRESENTATION: We experienced an extremely rare case of bronchobiliary fistula after motor vehicle accident. A 15-year-old Persian boy visited our clinic with chief complaints of persistent pleuritic chest pain, productive cough, weight loss, and fever for 2 months. Coronavirus disease 2019 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test was negative. Chest X-ray revealed hazy opacification of right lower lobe. Bronchoalveolar lavage for acid-fast bacillus came back negative. Thoracoabdominal computed tomography scan revealed a collection in segment VIII of the liver communicating with another 13 × 5 cm multiloculated collection in the lower lobe of the right lung, with air foci within the collection. Right posterolateral thoracotomy was performed with the impression of bronchobiliary fistula. Drainage of hepatic collection with debridement, diaphragmatic repair, and open decortication of lung followed by resection of the involved segment of the right lung was performed. Histopathologic evaluations revealed abscess formation in pulmonary tissue, and many multinucleated giant cells were seen that appear to be due to foreign body remnants after previous laparotomy surgery. The foreign body seemed to be the remnants of Surgicel absorbable hemostat. CONCLUSIONS: Herein, we report an extremely rare case of a posttraumatic bronchobiliary fistula caused by remnants of Surgicel hemostatic agent. Bronchobiliary fistula is mainly caused by untreated hydatid cyst, liver abscess, iatrogenic stenosis, and, rarely, trauma. Migration and erosion of oxidized regenerated cellulose through the diaphragm seems to be the causative factor of bronchobiliary fistula in this patient.

Pediatric rigid bronchoscopy and foreign body removal during the COVID-19 pandemic: case report.

We present the case of an eight year old boy who presented with foreign body aspiration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The patient was taken the operating room for rigid bronchoscopy and foreign body removal. The details of the operation, steps taken for protection of health care workers, and lessons learned are discussed. Bronchoscopy was performed using N95 respirators and Stryker Flyte Hood garments, combined with a streamlined instrument set-up. Simulation in advance of these cases improves communication and operative planning. Surgeons should have equipment to retrieve foreign bodies from the oropharynx available. Techniques that reduce surgical time and thus exposure risk should be considered.