Pieces of glass often end up in a drink, unless you are careful to open the bottles with a corkscrew. Sometimes there is a defective bottle in the store, in which there are small pieces of glass at the bottom. Small children can swallow broken glass from christmas tree toys... How risky is it for life? People sometimes accidentally swallow pieces of glass. This material is extremely strong and will not be digested in the stomach. In addition, the shards have dangerous sharp edges. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? How to act: rush to the hospital or try home methods?

Features of the structure of the esophagus

The gastrointestinal tract is a long, flexible muscular tube. If a person swallows food, the muscles contract and push the food further. Indigestible edible substances and inedible objects pass through the tract unchanged.

Substances of artificial origin (iron, glass, plastic) do not change in the intestinal tract, therefore it is risky to swallow these items.

What happens if you eat glass?

The risk of foreign bodies entering the body is not excluded. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? All danger depends on its shape and volume. Sharp pieces of glass can damage organs. What happens if you eat a piece of glass with pointed ends? Minor tissue puncture and mild bleeding in the intestinal tract may occur. Blood can be found in fecal samples.

But what happens if you swallow a small piece of glass with food? As soon as food is swallowed, it rapidly passes through the esophagus into the stomach. In a narrow section of the stomach there is an exit, a gatekeeper. Pieces that are too large cannot come out through it. They stay in the stomach. The doctor is able to remove pieces through the mouth using a flexible device - an endoscope. Anything passed by the gatekeeper is unlikely to provoke a problem.

What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? It is more dangerous to swallow small pieces with sharp ends. They can cut through tissue and cause infection.

Symptoms of an unsafe item being swallowed

What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass with water, because the mouth and the human tongue are very sensitive? Usually, a person has time to identify foreign bodies before swallowing.

However, children sometimes taste different things and drinks and may swallow unwanted items. A father and mother can immediately find out that their child has swallowed an object hazardous to health. A number of signs indicate that the child has swallowed a small piece of glass.

Among them:

  • vomit;
  • salivation;
  • stomach ache;
  • difficulty swallowing;
  • stool change;
  • strange sounds in the stomach.

For any of these signs, the child should be immediately shown to the doctor or called ambulance... Small pieces from bottles and glasses are not easily seen on x-rays. If there are no severe acute pains, doctors wait 24 hours for the fragments to come out completely on their own.

What is the threat to children?

There is a health hazard if the child swallows the shrapnel. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? Little explorers are curious, and the best way to analyze objects around them is to taste them. Glass objects are often the subject of study. In this case, you need to know what the risk of swallowing the glass is. The outcome of a situation depends on the characteristics, shape and surface of the element. The child can eat a piece from the glass. So what happens if you swallow a piece of glass from a glass? It gets stuck in the esophagus and can damage it. If the object is of an even shape (for example, balls), you can consider yourself lucky. The danger is reduced to the usual stuck in the stomach, and damage can be ruled out. Don't worry, there are a number of methods you can use to get rid of a stuck object. The most important thing is to act swiftly, especially if the situation has developed in full view of the parents.

What if the baby ate the shard?

What if I swallowed a small piece of glass? If the child has eaten the glass, the most important thing is to stay calm and not panic. A similar situation can happen to anyone, therefore, it is essential to act swiftly and clearly.

Firstly, you can carefully remove the visible part of the object yourself, and secondly, you need to call an ambulance. You do not need to let everything go by itself, as a piece that gets inside the body can provoke serious consequences. Small pieces can be removed directly, but even they are capable of touching internal organs... If the piece is large, it may get stuck in the stomach for long time... In this case, an operation is indispensable.

Immediate action when the glass enters the stomach

In the event that a person immediately noticed the swallowing of glass, then it is most correct to provoke vomiting. The piece will be rapidly removed from the body with food and mucus, without causing much damage. If this happens to the child, then vomiting must be induced artificially, pressing on the root of the tongue.

After that, even after making sure that the fragment came out, it is necessary to contact the doctor, describing the situation. He will give advice for subsequent actions and prescribe a study that will detect defects in internal organs, if any.

Urgent activities:

  1. In the event that the glass did not come out with vomiting, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance, outlining the situation, and prepare for hospitalization.
  2. In the event that it took more than 2 hours, the units could have time to move into the intestinal tract and worsen the situation. Then only a highly qualified doctor will decide what to do, who should be notified as clearly as possible about the size of the fragment and the time of the accident.
  3. X-rays in such a situation are often ineffective, since the glass in its glimpses does not contrast.
  4. You should not count on the fact that the fragment is very small, and sit at home until it comes out naturally.
  5. Laxatives and enemas are also not recommended without medical research.
  6. If the fragment does not go immediately after vomiting, secondary efforts can be dangerous, therefore, it will be preferable to call a doctor and wait for an ambulance to arrive.
  7. Lots of activity in this period it is also harmful, since every movement can provoke internal injuries.

Small pieces often actually leave the body in a natural way, without bringing almost any inconvenience to their owner. However, it is not necessary to count on this, since ignoring in this case threatens with serious injuries and even death.

Small children often ingest glass by accident. In order to avoid the penetration of glass into the body, you should carefully monitor the child. It is not recommended to allow the use of glass objects for the game. Such accessories should be kept out of the reach of children. Parents are obliged to wean the child from holding various objects in his mouth.

To prevent a child from accidentally falling on glass objects, the following rules should be observed:

  • fragile items must not be forgotten in the child's field of vision;
  • remove all breakable decor items from the reach of children;
  • if the glass object is broken - to protect the child, not allowing him to get close to the broken glass, and carefully collect everything;
  • follow the child while walking on the street;
  • do not leave the baby alone for a long time;
  • do not feed from glassware.

Output

Glass is a dangerous foreign object. It has the potential to inflict sufficiently serious injuries.

Swallowing glass is fraught with wounds in the mouth and digestive tract. Therefore, it is necessary to be prudent and, in the event of an emergency, to take urgent measures.

The child often pulls everything into his mouth. If you swallowed glass, parents should know what to do. The outcome of such a situation depends on the shape, surface and size of the fragment. In any case, there is a risk that a sharp object will get stuck in the child's esophagus or intestines. And if the child has swallowed glass of a complex shape, or big size then it stays in the stomach.

Before helping a child, parents need to calm down. If the baby swallows the shard in front of her parents, then there is a chance to get it. In such a situation, adults should open the child's mouth by pressing a finger on the root of the tongue. The emerging vomiting urge will provoke the release of vomit with saliva and splinter. In this case, the esophagus is not damaged. Then you need to call an ambulance. The child is hospitalized, examined. An ultrasound scan is prescribed, and, if necessary, other diagnostic methods.

Shards swallowed by children at an unknown time cannot be removed by themselves. It will take 2-3 hours to move them into the intestines. In this case, it is recommended to immediately call an ambulance. Parents should inform the doctor approximate dimensions swallowed glass and the time of the incident. Since such an object is not contrasting in the X-ray beams, this diagnosis is ineffective.

If there is a splinter in the esophagus, the child is allowed to eat cereals, decoctions of hard vegetables. For 3 days, parents should monitor the baby's stool. It is contraindicated to cause diarrhea with laxatives or enema. If all the doctor's recommendations are followed, the glass will come out naturally within the next period (2-5 days).

If the case in question occurred in nature or in another area where there is no medical center, then parents should adhere to the following recommendations:

  1. In order not to injure the mucous membrane, the child needs to drink a thick liquid - yogurt, jelly. Such formulations envelop the walls of the digestive tract. The liquid helps to relax the esophagus, and the trapped splinter will immediately penetrate into the stomach. If a child complains of pain, and the jelly does not help, then the help of a qualified specialist will be required.
  2. It is forbidden to feed the child with solid food and increase the motility of the intestines.


Difficult situation

If the swallowed splinter got into the child's trachea, then it is necessary to create physical rest. We give the baby clean air, removing the splinter on our own. For children who have swallowed large glass, the Heimlich method is used: the victim must get to his feet. Mom or Dad stands behind the child, hugging his body. One hand is clenched into a fist and applied to the stomach. The second hand is pressed into the first, applying pressure, making a quick push upward.

If the child who has swallowed the splinter has difficulty breathing, then it is recommended to do the following:

  1. Raise the baby by the legs (head down).
  2. Shake.
  3. Make a strong exhalation with the child.

Treatment activities

In severe cases, urgent hospitalization of the affected child is required. At the hospital, specialists (pediatric surgeon, pediatrician) examine the child. Are carried out different methods diagnostics (ultrasound, endoscopic). Then specialists make a diagnosis, determine the level of the location of the foreign body. Doctors can:

  • observe the little patient until the glass comes out on its own - for this, the child is given laxatives;
  • schedule an operation.

Indications for surgical intervention:

  • worsening breathing;
  • Difficulty moving glass along the digestive tract.

In 99% of cases, surgeons use an endoscopic treatment technique. This method of removing glass from a child's body is used when the object is above the duodenum. This is due to the fact that the endoscope reaches the indicated place. To remove the glass, doctors use an endoscopic loop, baskets, or clamps held through the endoscope. This item is introduced into the child's body through the mouth.

The object is pulled up to the endoscope and then pulled out. Upon completion of this procedure, a repeated examination of the gastrointestinal tract is indicated. If during the endoscopy the glass is pushed by the apparatus, then the child is prescribed laxatives. This technique effective if applied within hours of the incident.

If the glass is below the duodenum, then X-ray is shown. Do not drink laxatives. You can use petroleum jelly. When vomiting, pain, fever, bleeding occurs, a laparotomy is performed. This method, in contrast to abdominal surgery, does not require a large incision in the anterior wall of the peritoneum. Then a laparoscope is inserted into the cavity.

Cavity surgery is performed after finding out the location of the foreign body, its size and shape, and the condition of the affected child. But any surgical intervention injures the child's body, causing various complications.

Using a colonoscope

Less commonly, the swallowed splinter can reach the cecum and sigmoid colon. In such cases, a colonoscope is used. The doctor uses a small camera to examine the intestines. The procedure takes 45 minutes. Beforehand, the baby is dressed in a hospital gown or pants with a slit. A small patient is put on an oxygen mask or tubes (for oxygen supply) are passed to the nose. If necessary, the child is given a dropper, with the help of which an anesthetic and sedative will be infused into the body.

Then the child is placed on the left side. The colonoscope is inserted into the intestines. To facilitate the insertion, the doctor uses a petroleum jelly lubricant. At the same time, air is injected into the examined organ (to open the lumen and facilitate the movement of the chamber). This procedure can cause discomfort and bloating in the baby.

The colonoscope is a flexible instrument that can be easily rotated in the intestine as needed. The image from the camera is transmitted to the monitor. A small instrument is used to remove the splinter and is passed through a colonoscope. If the camera is unable to overcome the bend, then surgery is indicated.

To prevent accidental swallowing of glass, you must carefully look after your child.

Children are active and curious. They study their surroundings so quickly that parents do not always have time to follow them. While exploring the world, babies use all forms of tactile cognition, so often the objects under study end up in their mouths. Small and sharp objects are especially dangerous for health.

In our article, you will learn what to do if a child swallows glass. We will tell you what harm a small piece of glass and a large shard will do to the health of a young researcher, and also how to avoid it.

Is there a danger

Regardless of the circumstances under which your child swallowed glass, adults should remain calm. Remember that the baby is already scared and confused, and your reproaches will further aggravate his condition. Therefore, do everything quickly and clearly.

First, you need to do 2 important things:

  1. Lay the small patient on his back and check for foreign objects or debris in his mouth;
  2. Call an ambulance or take your baby to the hospital yourself. There, doctors will assess the criticality of the situation and choose the tactics of treatment.

It is imperative to consult a doctor, regardless of whether you saw how the baby swallowed glass or not. After all, if it is already swallowed, the walls of the stomach and intestines can be damaged.

After examining the area of ​​the child's mouth, remove any glass fragments that are visible to the eye. Pay attention to the condition of the mucous membrane: whether blood is visible, cuts. If an adult has found only a large shard, clearly visible to the eye, you need to carefully pull it out. However, this does not mean that the visit to the doctor can be canceled.

Most often, small pieces of glass "come out" with feces on their own, without causing harm to the child's body, but sometimes this may not happen. Having got stuck in the walls of the stomach, the glasses can stay there for a long time, worsening the well-being of the baby, interfering with the full functioning of the organ. The situation is no less dangerous if a child who has swallowed glass has a sharp fragment stuck in the esophagus, trachea or intestines. Therefore, when a child swallows or tries to eat part of a glass object in front of your eyes, you need to react instantly.

Dangerous Signals

Pieces of glass often end up in a drink, unless you are careful to open the bottles with a corkscrew. Sometimes there is a defective bottle in the store, in which there are small pieces of glass at the bottom. Small children can swallow a piece of broken glass from a Christmas tree toy. How risky is it for life? People sometimes accidentally swallow pieces of glass. This material is extremely strong and will not be digested in the stomach. In addition, the shards have dangerous sharp edges. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? How to act: rush to the hospital or try home methods?

Features of the structure of the esophagus

The gastrointestinal tract is a long, flexible muscular tube. If a person swallows food, the muscles contract and push the food further. Indigestible edible substances and inedible objects pass through the tract unchanged.

Substances of artificial origin (iron, glass, plastic) do not change in the intestinal tract, therefore it is risky to swallow these items.

What happens if you eat glass?

The risk of foreign bodies entering the body is not excluded. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? All danger depends on its shape and volume. Sharp pieces of glass can damage organs. What happens if you eat a piece of glass with pointed ends? Minor tissue puncture and mild bleeding in the intestinal tract may occur. Blood can be found in fecal samples.

But what happens if you swallow a small piece of glass with food? As soon as food is swallowed, it rapidly passes through the esophagus into the stomach. In a narrow section of the stomach there is an exit, a gatekeeper. Pieces that are too large cannot come out through it. They stay in the stomach. The doctor is able to remove pieces through the mouth using a flexible device - an endoscope. Anything passed by the gatekeeper is unlikely to provoke a problem.

What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? It is more dangerous to swallow small pieces with sharp ends. They can cut through tissue and cause infection.

Symptoms of an unsafe item being swallowed

What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass with water, because the mouth and the human tongue are very sensitive? Usually, a person has time to identify foreign bodies before swallowing.

However, children sometimes taste different things and drinks and may swallow unwanted items. A father and mother can immediately find out that their child has swallowed an object hazardous to health. A number of signs indicate that the child has swallowed a small piece of glass.

Among them:

  • vomit;
  • salivation;
  • stomach ache;
  • difficulty swallowing;
  • stool change;
  • strange sounds in the stomach.

For any of these signs, the child should be immediately shown to the doctor or an ambulance should be called. Small pieces from bottles and glasses are not easily seen on x-rays. If there are no severe acute pains, doctors wait 24 hours for the fragments to come out completely on their own.

What is the threat to children?

There is a health hazard if the child swallows the shrapnel. What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass? Little explorers are curious, and the best way to analyze objects around them is to taste them. Glass objects are often the subject of study. In this case, you need to know what the risk of swallowing the glass is. The outcome of a situation depends on the characteristics, shape and surface of the element. The child can eat a piece from the glass. So what happens if you swallow a piece of glass from a glass? It gets stuck in the esophagus and can damage it. If the object is of an even shape (for example, balls), you can consider yourself lucky. The danger is reduced to the usual stuck in the stomach, and damage can be ruled out. Don't worry, there are a number of methods you can use to get rid of a stuck object. The most important thing is to act swiftly, especially if the situation has developed in full view of the parents.

What if the baby ate the shard?

What if I swallowed a small piece of glass? If the child has eaten the glass, the most important thing is to stay calm and not panic. A similar situation can happen to anyone, therefore, it is essential to act swiftly and clearly.

Firstly, you can carefully remove the visible part of the object yourself, and secondly, you need to call an ambulance. You do not need to let everything go by itself, as a piece that gets inside the body can provoke serious consequences. Small pieces can be removed directly, but even they are capable of touching internal organs. If the piece is large, it can get stuck in the stomach for a long time. In this case, an operation is indispensable.

Immediate action when the glass enters the stomach

In the event that a person immediately noticed the swallowing of glass, then it is most correct to provoke vomiting. The piece will be rapidly removed from the body with food and mucus, without causing much damage. If this happens to the child, then vomiting must be induced artificially, pressing on the root of the tongue.

After that, even after making sure that the fragment came out, it is necessary to contact the doctor, describing the situation. He will give advice for subsequent actions and prescribe a study that will detect defects in internal organs, if any.

Urgent activities:

  1. In the event that the glass did not come out with vomiting, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance, outlining the situation, and prepare for hospitalization.
  2. In the event that it took more than 2 hours, the units could have time to move into the intestinal tract and worsen the situation. Then only a highly qualified doctor will decide what to do, who should be notified as clearly as possible about the size of the fragment and the time of the accident.
  3. X-rays in such a situation are often ineffective, since the glass in its glimpses does not contrast.
  4. You should not count on the fact that the fragment is very small, and sit at home until it comes out naturally.
  5. Laxatives and enemas are also not recommended without medical research.
  6. If the fragment does not go immediately after vomiting, secondary efforts can be dangerous, therefore, it will be preferable to call a doctor and wait for an ambulance to arrive.
  7. A lot of activity during this period is also harmful, since every movement can provoke internal injuries.

Small pieces often actually leave the body in a natural way, without bringing almost any inconvenience to their owner. However, it is not necessary to count on this, since ignoring in this case threatens with serious injuries and even death.

Small children often ingest glass by accident. In order to avoid the penetration of glass into the body, you should carefully monitor the child. It is not recommended to allow the use of glass objects for the game. Such accessories should be kept out of the reach of children. Parents are obliged to wean the child from holding various objects in his mouth.

To prevent a child from accidentally falling on glass objects, the following rules should be observed:

  • fragile items must not be forgotten in the child's field of vision;
  • remove all breakable decor items from the reach of children;
  • if the glass object is broken - to protect the child, not allowing him to get close to the broken glass, and carefully collect everything;
  • follow the child while walking on the street;
  • do not leave the baby alone for a long time;
  • do not feed from glassware.

Output

Glass is a dangerous foreign object. It has the potential to inflict sufficiently serious injuries.

Swallowing glass is fraught with wounds in the mouth and digestive tract. Therefore, it is necessary to be prudent and, in the event of an emergency, to take urgent measures.

Content of the article: classList.toggle () "> expand

There are many situations in which a person can swallow a piece of glass, for example, the edge of a glass breaks while drinking, a glass object breaks next to a plate of food, or a piece of glass gets into products at production. Small children can deliberately swallow a piece of glass, so they get to know the world around them.

If you notice signs that the child has swallowed something, and in particular a piece of glass, you need to urgently take action. This is especially true when the glass shard is large. A foreign object can damage the lining of the esophagus, stomach, intestines, cause internal bleeding or remain in the stomach, worsening the victim's condition. It is important to know what to do if a child or adult ate glass and what happens if a small shard of glass is swallowed.

What to do if swallowed by a shard of glass

If you notice that an adult or a child has swallowed glass, then you need to urgently help them. The main rule is to remain calm so that you can act adequately and quickly. First of all, you need to lay the victim on his back and examine his oral cavity. If you notice any foreign objects, carefully remove them.

Be sure to call an ambulance so that doctors can assess the severity of the injury and choose a treatment strategy.

The tactics of action depend on the size, location of the fragment, as well as the degree of damage to the walls digestive organs. What to do if a child or adult swallows a piece of glass:

  • With mild injury when the shard is in sight, it can be carefully pulled out. If you are unable to do this, then try to induce vomiting. To do this, press with your finger or spoon on the root of the tongue. Then the foreign object will come out together with the vomit. In this case, the walls of the esophagus are not damaged. After that, you need to hospitalize the patient in a hospital, and conduct an ultrasound scan or other instrumental studies to check their condition.
  • If you notice that the victim has swallowed a small shard, then proceed according to the same plan. And after providing assistance, be sure to visit a doctor.
  • The situation is aggravated if the time of ingestion of the foreign object is unknown. Approximately 2 to 3 hours after the incident, the glass sinks into the intestines. In this case, you will not be able to pull it out on your own. You need to immediately call an ambulance, and you should also tell the doctors at least the approximate time when the person swallowed the splinter. Doctors prescribe an ultrasound scan or other hardware methods and monitor the patient's condition. If there are no dangerous signs for 2 to 3 days after the incident, then most likely the glass has already come out with the feces.

The most dangerous situation is considered when the glass penetrates into the trachea. This can cause choking and severe pain. In this case, you urgently need to get the shard.

If a person bleeds from the mouth, then using the methods described below is categorically contraindicated! In this case, you need to urgently hospitalize the victim.

There are two ways to get the shard. First - Heimlich's way:

  • Tell the victim to get up, stand behind him;
  • Wrap your arms around it;
  • Squeeze one hand into a fist, press it to your stomach;
  • From above, press your fist with your second hand;
  • Perform a quick upward push.

The second method will help the child if it is difficult for him to breathe:

  • Take the child by the legs so that his head is down;
  • Shake it up;
  • At the same moment, he must make a sharp exhalation.

The main thing is not to panic and pull out the splinter, which is located further than the palatine-lingual arch. This will only damage the mucous membrane more and cause bleeding. Even if you notice that the shard is small, do not stay idle.

Try to induce vomiting if foreign body did not work, then consult a doctor. If, after the first attempt, you do not find the splinter, then do not try to re-invoke the gag reflex.

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In this case, it is better to wait for the doctors or hospitalize the victim. For 3 to 4 days, check the stool to understand whether the glass came out or not.

It is also forbidden to give the victim laxatives or do enemas without the knowledge of the doctor. After the incident, it is forbidden to give a person solid food in order to push through a piece of glass, because then there is a risk of further damage to the walls of the digestive organs. After consuming such food, intestinal motility increases.

Excessive physical activity after swallowing the glass is also contraindicated. This is due to the fact that with excessive activity, the fragments can damage the walls of the digestive organs. Therefore, it is better to remain calm.

Glass swallowing symptoms

Regardless of who swallowed the splinter - an adult or a child, you need to carefully monitor its condition. If a child or adult swallows a glass shard, if the following symptoms appear an urgent need to send the victim to the hospital:

  • Excessive salivation;
  • Stitching or cutting pain in the chest or abdomen;
  • The hiccups that never stop long time;
  • Nausea, vomiting;
  • The process of swallowing food is difficult;
  • Eruption of vomit mixed with blood;
  • The appearance of burgundy or bright red blood in the feces;
  • Breathing disorder, choking.

Small rounded glasses usually do not cause discomfort, and come out in a natural way. Shards of splinters can lodge in the stomach, causing a dull or aching epigastric pain. After a meal, the painful sensations may intensify, there is a heaviness in the stomach. The victim may experience nausea, decreased appetite and belching.

If the splinter is stuck in the pylorus (narrowest section) or duodenum, then it appears:

  • Intense paroxysmal pain;
  • Vomit;
  • The skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow due to a violation of the outflow of bile.

Even if you did not notice how the child swallowed the glass, then the above signs should alert you.

When at least 2 - 3 of them appear, the baby should be hospitalized. These symptoms can manifest different diseases and states. But in any case, they indicate serious malfunctions in the body. Therefore, you cannot do without medical help.

What to do next after the shard came out

It is important to carefully monitor your well-being after the piece of glass has left the body. Parents should adjust their child's diet. For a week after the incident, you need to adhere to a special diet. The menu for the victim is made by the doctor, it usually includes the following dishes:

  • Liquid porridge that envelops the walls of the stomach;
  • Soups and vegetable broths;
  • Boiled vegetable puree;
  • Natural yoghurts;
  • Kissel.

These foods and drinks envelop the walls of the digestive organs and relax the tense esophagus.

It is necessary to refuse food that irritates the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. When such food is consumed, microtraumas from the splinter turn into ulcers, which cause acute pain and heal for a long time:

  • It is necessary to refuse too salty, sweet or spicy foods;
  • Eliminate marinades from the diet, foods rich in essential oils, smoked meats, etc.
  • It is worth giving up solid foods that are poorly digested, for example, nuts, fresh fruits, vegetables, bran.

Even if the splinter has already come out, it is important to observe the feces, perhaps there are still pieces of glass left in the body. To verify your suspicions, it is recommended to undergo a re-examination.

When hospitalization is required and what is done in the hospital

If the condition after swallowing the glass is bad, and is accompanied by all of the above symptoms, then the victim needs to be urgently hospitalized. After conducting an instrumental examination, doctors determine the location of the fragment. Further, specialists can act according to this plan:

  • Observing the patient before the foreign body leaves on its own;
  • Operation to extract the splinter.

The observation method is used more often. It lies in the fact that doctors stimulate the body with the help of laxatives so that the glass comes out faster along with the feces. In a medical institution, this is permissible, since the doctor controls the finding of a foreign body and all its movements. And if complications arise, specialists will quickly treat.

Surgical intervention it is necessary if the victim has difficulty breathing or the splinter slowly moves along the digestive organs.

Most often, the endoscopic method of therapy is used to remove the glass. This is possible if the splinter is placed above the duodenum, if it sank lower, then the endoscope (flexible tube) will not reach it.

To get an object, a special loop or forceps is passed through a tube inserted into the body (through the mouth). Next, the glass is pulled up to the endoscope, and then pulled out. After the procedure, it is necessary to re-conduct an instrumental examination of the digestive organs.

If, during endoscopy, the fragment was pushed further, then in order to speed up its withdrawal, the victim is prescribed laxatives. This method is effective if the incident occurred several hours ago.

If the object is placed below the level of the duodenum, then an X-ray is prescribed. In this case, it is forbidden to take laxatives, it is better to use liquid paraffin.

If the victim has vomiting, severe pain, fever, hemorrhage, then laparotomy is indicated... This surgical procedure involves cutting the abdominal wall to gain access to a foreign object. Abdominal surgery is performed when the localization of the fragment, its size and shape are precisely known. However, there is a risk of complications after the procedure.

In rare cases, the glass is lowered into the cecum and sigmoid colon. Then a colonoscopy is used - this is an endoscopic method for diagnosing the inner surface of the intestine. The duration of the study is 45 minutes.
Before the procedure, the victim is changed into hospital clothes, an oxygen mask is put on his face. To avoid pain, a drip with anesthetic and sedative solutions is used.

The patient is asked to roll over on his side, the colonoscope is inserted into the intestine, after having lubricated the anus with petroleum jelly. To open the lumen and facilitate movement of the chamber, a little air is forced into the intestinal lumen.

A flexible tube with a camera is inserted into the intestines, and the doctor monitors its progress on the computer screen. To remove the splinter, a miniature instrument is inserted through the colonoscope. If the tube fails to pass the bend, then an operation is prescribed.

What happens if you swallow a small piece of glass

Even tiny shards with sharp edges can become fixed in the wall of the digestive organs, so if a child or adult swallows a small piece of glass, it threatens the appearance of severe pain and bleeding. After a meal, the pain syndrome becomes more pronounced.

In the presence of several fragments in the stomach, acute bursting pain appears, as well as dyspepsia (nausea, vomiting, etc.).

If the glass gets into the pylorus or duodenum, then intestinal obstruction develops. This condition is accompanied by paroxysmal pain, vomiting, jaundice due to impaired outflow of bile.

If pointed objects get stuck in the wall of the stomach, then there is an inflammatory process, necrosis (death) of tissues, bleeding. Then the victim's condition deteriorates rapidly.

If a foreign object is in the stomach for a long time, then there is a risk of electrolyte disturbances (lack of chlorides, potassium), as well as metabolic alkalosis. Then the following symptoms may appear: impaired sensitivity of the face, limbs, tachycardia, convulsions, epileptic seizures, etc.

Preventive actions

To avoid swallowing glass, you need to be careful and follow safety measures:

  • Do not rush while eating, you need to chew it thoroughly to notice a splinter that can get caught. This is especially true for people who are used to dining in restaurants or cafes;
  • If you break a glass object, then immediately remove the fragments, and then clean with a vacuum cleaner;
  • Parents should try to control the child's actions, do not leave it alone if there are fragile glass objects nearby. It is important to hide small dangerous objects out of the reach of children;
  • It is also worthwhile to carefully approach the choice of toys, buy them taking into account the age of the child, make sure that they do not have small glass parts that can be easily broken off or broken.

If you or a child swallowed glass, then you need to urgently call an ambulance, examine the child's mouth and try to induce vomiting.

If the splinter does not come out, then urgently hospitalize the victim. Without medical care not to do it if, after swallowing the glass, it is difficult for a person to breathe. Small rounded objects come out on their own, they can be noticed in the feces after 2 - 3 days. Large shards with sharp edges can get stuck in the wall of the digestive organs, causing pain and various complications, so an urgent operation is necessary.