UAE: Baby swallows 5cm pin that pierces his intestine and liver

Tamim, an 18-month-old toddler faced a life-threatening situation when he accidentally swallowed a 5cm-long abaya pin. This incident took a dangerous turn as the sharp pin pierced through, resulting in a perforated intestine and a pierced liver.

Tamim’s parents became aware of the severity of the situation nearly 48 hours after the incident when they noticed his distress, where he was crying and clutching his belly. “We did not know what was happening with him. He was crying continuously out of pain. We tried to recount if he had put something in his mouth, to which my daughter remembered that he had found a pin. That raised suspicion that he might have swallowed it,” said Mohammad Raghab, Tamim’s father.

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The toddler required urgent medical attention and parents initially consulted doctors at a nearby medical facility, who then advised them to see a pediatric surgeon. Tamim was brought to Thumbay University Hospital, where a CT scan was performed to identify the exact location of the pin.

Dr Mufique Gajdhar, a pediatric surgeon at Thumbay University Hospital, Ajman, and his team conducted a critical laparotomy surgery to remove the lodged pin. “The 5cm-long abaya pin had lodged itself in the child’s liver, with its sharp end piercing through the intestine. This posed a grave risk of infection spreading to vital organs and damaging surrounding blood vessels, causing internal bleeding. In either case, the outcome could have been fatal,” said Dr Gajdhar.

The laparotomy procedure involved exploring the abdominal organs to locate and remove the sharp pin, repairing the perforated part of the duodenum (a part of the intestine), and addressing the potential damage to the liver.

Hospitals in the UAE have reported many cases of children swallowing chemicals, magnet balls, and small electronic objects. Last year, Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital reported more than 50 children in one year, some of whom sustained severe damage to their digestive systems. The most common objects swallowed by children are batteries, magnets, nails, and chicken bones.

Dr Gajdhar reiterated the importance of childproofing and vigilant supervision especially when dealing with small objects. He cautioned against providing children under the age of 3 with toys containing small parts and stressed the need for securely fastened battery covers on battery-operated toys.

Dr Gajdhar urged parents to seek medical advice if a child begins choking or wheezing unexpectedly, as this could indicate inhalation of a foreign object. He also provided safety tips for parents, including supervision, childproofing, age-appropriate toys, secure storage of small objects, and educating children about the dangers of swallowing foreign items.

Safety tips

If your child has swallowed a foreign object, follow these steps:

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