Clinical Characteristics of Geriatric Patients with Digestive System Foreign Body in Emergency Center |
Jong Won Park, Han Sung Choi, Jong Seok Lee, Hoon Pyo Hong, Young Gwan Ko |
Department of Emergency Medicine, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. hsg3748@hanmail.net |
소화기관 이물로 응급의료센터를 방문한 노인 환자의 임상적 특성 |
박종원⦁최한성⦁이종석⦁홍훈표⦁고영관 |
경희대학교 의학전문대학원 응급의학교실 |
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Abstract |
BACKGROUND In patients with foreign bodies in their digestive systems, old age is associated with higher rates of incidence and complications. Therefore, we compared the characteristics of geriatric patients with nongeriatric patients who were found to have with foreign bodies in their digestive systems. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 497 cases of foreign bodies in the digestive system over the period from 2010 through 2014. Patients were divided into two groups: nongeriatric (20-64 years, n=404) and geriatric (> or =65 years, n=93). RESULTS The geriatric patients had more underlying diseases (12.0% vs. 3.0%), took longer to arrive at the hospital (8.92+/-21.31 hours vs. 4.50+/-14.76 hours, p<0.001), and had higher complication rates (4.3% vs. 0.2%, p<0.001), and longer hospital stays (4.88+/-4.26 days vs. 3.08+/-2.97 days, p<0.001). The following factors were significantly different between the geriatric and nongeriatric patients: type (p<0.001) and the locations (p=0.001) of the foreign bodies and their management (p=0.001). In the geriatric patients, the detected foreign bodies were more frequently located in the esophagus (46.0% vs. 17.4%), especially in the upper esophagus (30.0% vs. 14.5%). Smooth-shaped foreign bodies (18.0% vs. 5.0%) and food lumps (16.0% vs. 3.3%) were also frequently detected in the geriatric patients. CONCLUSION In comparison with nongeriatric patients, the geriatric patients had more smooth-shaped shaped foreign bodies such as food lumps in their esophagi, and this patient group also showed higher rates of admission and complications. Thus, differences between geriatric and nongeriatric patients should be considered carefully in evaluating foreign bodies in the digestive system to prevent late diagnosis and further complications. |
Key Words:
Foreign body, Digestive system, Geriatrics, Emergency |
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