Foreign Body Removal

Has your child swallowed a coin or marble? Is something caught in your eye? Foreign bodies (objects) can become lodged in just about any opening in the body, including the skin or wounds. You can also inhale a foreign object into your airways or ingest a foreign body that the digestive system can’t pass.

Goshen Hospital Emergency Department performs foreign body removal. The goal of foreign body removal is to take out the object or substance to prevent infection, open up airways and avoid damage to the surrounding tissue. With an experienced team and leading-edge technologies, we provide the care you need for foreign body airway obstruction, foreign body ingestion and other foreign body situations.

For expert emergency care, call 911 or come to our emergency room.

When to go to the ER to remove foreign objects

You can take care of some foreign bodies at home, such as removing a splinter or cleaning out minor wounds. However, sometimes trying to dislodge the foreign object yourself can cause more damage or further embed it.

Go to the emergency room in these situations:

• The object is embedded in the eye.
• The object is beyond easy reach.
• There is associated injury or tissue trauma.

Performing foreign body removal at our emergency room

Your procedure at Goshen Hospital Emergency Department depends on the foreign object and where it’s located. X-rays can help locate an object inside the body, such as in the airways, digestive system or soft tissues. Your emergency physician may use endoscopy or open surgery to remove the object once the location is known. You may have some form of anesthesia if you undergo one of these procedures.

Our board certified emergency physicians and nurses are equipped to take care of your foreign body removal and get you back to normal. Trust us to provide the personalized treatment you need.