Evaluation of the medical economics and safety: two methods for the endoscopic removal of jujube pits.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the medical economics and safety of two methods for the endoscopic removal of jujube pits, one with a transparent cap combined with a stone basket and the other with a transparent cap combined with foreign body forceps.

METHODS: consecutive patients with a suspected jujube pit ingestion in the esophagus between January 2008 and December 2017 were enrolled into the study. Fifty-three patients who met the criteria were divided into two groups. Group A patients were treated by a transparent cap combined with a stone basket and group B patients were treated by a transparent cap combined with foreign body forceps. The following clinical data were collected: age, sex, location of jujube pits, complications, operation time, extraction success and average hospital costs.

RESULTS: a total of 53 patients who met the criteria were enrolled into the study; 29 cases in group A and 24 cases in group B. Endoscopic removal was successful in 98.1% (52/53) of the patients and the remaining 1.9% (1/53) required surgery. Severe complications were less frequent in group A than in group B (p = 0.017). Surgery time was not significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.647). The extraction success in group A was higher than in group B (p = 0.001). The medical costs including the total cost, inspection, treatment, radiation and drug cost were not significantly different between the two groups (p > 0.05 in all cases).

CONCLUSION: endoscopic baskets are suitable for cases of jujube pit ingestion and have a higher extraction success and a lower proportion of severe complications. Surgery time was not significantly extended and the medical costs did not increase.