Abstract
Toothpicks have been used since antiquity as instruments for mouth cleansing and as eating utensils. Toothpick injury to the gastrointestinal tract is often suspected only at the time of operation because patients rarely relate a history of swallowing toothpicks and most toothpicks are not radiopaque. The spectrum of toothpick injury to the gastrointestinal tract is illustrated by 5 patients who developed toothpick perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. Two patients died as a result of complications of toothpick injury, one of these presenting with recurrent gram negative sepsis with multiple organisms due to a duodenal-inferior vena caval toothpick fistula. In two instances the toothpicks were removed at operation and one that was penetrating the duodenum was removed with a fiberoptic duodenoscope.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Dick E. T. Cocktail stick perforation of the large bowel. N Z Med J. 1966 Dec;65(412):986–986. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jenson A. B., Fred H. L. Toothpick pleurisy. JAMA. 1968 Mar 11;203(11):988–988. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Justiniani F. R., Wigoda L., Ortega R. S. Duodenocaval fistula due to toothpick perforation. JAMA. 1974 Feb 18;227(7):788–789. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lufkin E. G., Silverman M., Callaway J. J., Glenchur H. Mixed septicemias and gastrointestinal disease. Am J Dig Dis. 1966 Dec;11(12):930–937. doi: 10.1007/BF02233081. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Maleki M., Evans W. E. Foreign-body perforation of the intestinal tract. Report of 12 cases and review of the literature. Arch Surg. 1970 Oct;101(4):475–477. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.1970.01340280027008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- PERELMAN H. Toothpick perforations of the gastrointestinal tract. J Abdom Surg. 1962 Mar;4:51–53. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- ST. JOHN E. G. Toothpick injuries of the intestinal tract. N Y State J Med. 1955 Nov 1;55(21):3115–3119. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shaffer R. D. Subcutaneous emphysema of the leg secondary to toothpick ingestion. Arch Surg. 1969 Oct;99(4):542–545. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.1969.01340160122029. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]