In reference to Wire grill brush bristle as an unusual foreign body: Report of two pediatric cases

We read with interest and concern the article titled ‘‘Wire Grill Brush Bristle as an Unusual Foreign Body: Report of Two Pediatric Cases.’’ In the article, Arganbright et al. described two pediatric patients who accidentally ingested wire bristles from grill cleaning brushes. Although this has historically been a very rarely reported foreign body, we have had a recent series of patients in our institution to further suggest a possible emerging consumer hazard. Over a 30-month period, our institution has treated eight patients for accidental grill-brush bristle ingestion. Six of these patients were recently reviewed by our radiology colleagues. In our series, patients ranged in age from 11 to 67 years. The most common complaints at the time of presentation were throat pain, odynophagia, and foreign body sensation that developed after the ingestion of grilled meat. Four of the eight patients required operative laryngoscopy with retrieval of the wire bristles. One patient underwent a tonsillectomy to remove a lodged wire bristle but continued to have a foreign body sensation postoperatively. The wire bristle was visualized in the tonsillar fossa and was removed in the office setting. All patients tolerated these procedures without complication. Three patients reported abdominal pain shortly after ingesting grilled meat. Two of these patients were found to have perforated jejunums, whereas in a third patient the wire perforated through the stomach and into the liver, causing a large hepatic abscess. The first two underwent uneventful laparoscopic surgical management, whereas the third underwent a laparotomy with partial hepatectomy. All three patients were discharged within 1 week of presentation. Reports of wire grill-brush bristle ingestion and/or aspiration have been sparse. In light of the article by Arganbright et al. and based on the recent experience in our institution, we believe that accidental grill-brush bristle ingestion and aspiration are more common than previously thought. Furthermore, these patients almost always need surgical intervention, and the potential related complications can be catastrophic. Given the widespread use of wire grill-brushes, it is imperative for the public to be made aware of this hazard.