Upper aerodigestive injuries from detergent ingestion in children.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical presentations and management of detergent pod ingestion at a tertiary children's hospital.

STUDY DESIGN: Case series.

METHODS: A retrospective chart review of children diagnosed with detergent pod ingestion from June 2010 and March 2015.

RESULTS: Nine cases of detergent pod ingestion were included over a 5-year period. The average age was 26.3 months (range, 11-43 months). Eight (89%) of the cases were female. The patients had ingested laundry detergent pods (n = 7) and dishwasher detergent pods (n = 2). The majority of patients (67%) had more than one clinical manifestation from ingestion. Presenting symptoms included emesis (78%), respiratory symptoms (56%), throat pain (22%), drooling (33%), and foaming at the mouth (33%). The management of patients depended on the severity of their symptoms and included admission to an overnight observation unit (n = 5), discharge to home directly from the emergency department (n = 2), and admission to the hospital (n = 2). Two (22%) children underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy. One child (11%) required intubation from bilateral vocal fold immobility.

CONCLUSION: Injuries to the upper aerodigestive tract after detergent ingestion range from mild gastrointestinal symptoms to respiratory compromise. The majority of children improve with observation alone; however, clinicians should maintain a low threshold for endoscopic evaluation in cases of severe symptoms and airway involvement.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 2016 127:509-512, 2017.