Point-of-care Ultrasound: A New Tool for the Identification of Gastric Foreign Bodies in Children?

BACKGROUND: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been used to identify ingested gastric foreign bodies. Our aim was to describe the sonographic findings of radiopaque and radiolucent gastric foreign bodies (FBs) in children.

CASE REPORT: Three children ingested different FBs. Two were confirmed with standard radiographs, one was not identified radiographically but was passed in the stool. All three objects were initially found in the stomach using POCUS. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: With increased training and comfort, emergency physicians may begin to use POCUS for identification and monitoring of ingested FBs in the pediatric population.