Massive foreign object ingestion.

Although foreign object ingestion is usually a benign event, it may result in serious complications. Presented is the case of a 41-year-old man admitted secondary to the ingestion of 71 metallic objects, including a wrench, wire springs, and a razor blade. The patient was observed in hospital for eight days, during which time there was no evidence of passage of any objects. On the eighth hospital day the patient underwent a gastrostomy for removal of the foreign objects. Post-operative recovery was uneventful. Guidelines for both the diagnosis and therapy of foreign body ingestions are discussed, with particular attention to indication for medical versus surgical intervention.