Hospitals taking out toys, coins and needles

Around 1,000 people each year need to have ‘foreign objects’ removed

Small toys, coins, sewing needles and sea urchin spines are among the items being removed from patients in Courier Country each year.

Around 1,000 people each year are presenting at emergency departments in Tayside and Fife to have items removed from their body.

A Courier investigation found there were 1,003 “foreign body” diagnosis attendances in Tayside in 2015 and 1,079 last year, with 95 foreign objects removed from patients in Fife in each of the past two years.

Dr Andy Reddick, consultant in emergency medicine with NHS Tayside said, “The vast majority of foreign bodies in eyes are removed in the emergency department with some patients needing follow up in an eye clinic.

“We also see children who either ingest coins or other small objects or who have inserted them in their ears or noses.”

Dr Reddick said the most concerning ingested foreign objects are small button batteries, which can cause perforation of the bowel if they become stuck.

He added: “Young children are the most common offenders, but all age ranges can accidentally ingest things like dental crowns and caps.

“Adults often lose the end of cotton buds in ears and small parts of broken hearing aids can become stuck in ears.

“In the summer months, we do occasionally see insects stuck in ears canals.

“Foreign bodies removed from wounds typically include injuries from falling on broken glass or organic material such as thorns which snap off after penetrating the skin.”

He added: “The soles of feet are a special area where objects such as sewing needles and sea urchin spines become lodged.”

Picture: Getty Images. Children and adults are guilty of getting objects lodged where they shouldn’t go.