Foreign body ingestion in a neonate

Background: Foreign body ingestion is a very common event in the paediatric age group. There are however very few reports of foreign body ingestion in neonates. Aim: To report a case of ingestion of foreign body in a neonate. Case report: A neonate with thumb tack ingestion presented with respiratory distress. She had an emergency tracheostomy and subsequent extraction of the foreign body. She was extubated after four days and was discharged on the eighth day in good clinical condition. Conclusion: Foreign body ingestion in the neonate although very uncommon is possible. Paediatricians should therefore remember that an oesophageal foreign body may be a possible cause of respiratory distress in a neonate. Keywords: Neonate, Foreign body, IngestionPort Harcourt Medical Journal Vol. 2 (3) 2008: pp.271-274