Successful endoscopic retrieval of an
accidentally ingested toothbrush in a 95-year-
old male : a clinical case report
Dublin Core
Title
Successful endoscopic retrieval of an
accidentally ingested toothbrush in a 95-year-
old male : a clinical case report
accidentally ingested toothbrush in a 95-year-
old male : a clinical case report
Subject
Toothbrush, Accidental swallowing, Foreign body ingestion, Endoscopic removal
Description
Abstract
Background Accidental foreign body ingestion in the paediatric age group is a common presentation to the
Emergency department, with most objects being small and round. Accidental ingestion of non-organic, long, and
rigid foreign bodies in adults is relatively rare, and is usually seen in patients with an underlying psychiatric illness.
Such foreign bodies are unlikely to pass through the entirety of the gastrointestinal tract owing to their length and
rigidity, and are therefore associated with the risk of pressure ulcers, necrosis, and perforation, which necessitates their
prompt removal.
Case presentation We report the case of a 95-year-old male with Parkinson’s disease, who presented to the
Emergency Department with alleged history of having swallowed his toothbrush an hour prior to arrival. The patient
was hemodynamically stable. An X-ray of the abdomen confirmed the presence of the toothbrush with the radio-
opaque bristle end seen in the left upper quadrant. The Gastroenterologist was involved, and an endoscopic retrieval
of the toothbrush was planned immediately. There were challenges encountered in the endoscopic removal owing
to the smooth surface of the toothbrush. However, successful retrieval was accomplished, and patient was discharged
the following day with no complications.
Conclusion Accidental ingestion of toothbrush in adults is extremely rare. Owing to its length and structure, the
tooth brush is unlikely to be naturally expelled from the rectum, and therefore associated with risk of complications
like perforation, which necessitates prompt removal.
Keywords Toothbrush, Accidental swallowing, Foreign body ingestion, Endoscopic removal
Background Accidental foreign body ingestion in the paediatric age group is a common presentation to the
Emergency department, with most objects being small and round. Accidental ingestion of non-organic, long, and
rigid foreign bodies in adults is relatively rare, and is usually seen in patients with an underlying psychiatric illness.
Such foreign bodies are unlikely to pass through the entirety of the gastrointestinal tract owing to their length and
rigidity, and are therefore associated with the risk of pressure ulcers, necrosis, and perforation, which necessitates their
prompt removal.
Case presentation We report the case of a 95-year-old male with Parkinson’s disease, who presented to the
Emergency Department with alleged history of having swallowed his toothbrush an hour prior to arrival. The patient
was hemodynamically stable. An X-ray of the abdomen confirmed the presence of the toothbrush with the radio-
opaque bristle end seen in the left upper quadrant. The Gastroenterologist was involved, and an endoscopic retrieval
of the toothbrush was planned immediately. There were challenges encountered in the endoscopic removal owing
to the smooth surface of the toothbrush. However, successful retrieval was accomplished, and patient was discharged
the following day with no complications.
Conclusion Accidental ingestion of toothbrush in adults is extremely rare. Owing to its length and structure, the
tooth brush is unlikely to be naturally expelled from the rectum, and therefore associated with risk of complications
like perforation, which necessitates prompt removal.
Keywords Toothbrush, Accidental swallowing, Foreign body ingestion, Endoscopic removal
Creator
Farzin Vajifdar1*, Khursheed Vazifdar1
, Vivek Singh1
, Sagar Jaiswal1
and Sayash Nair1
, Vivek Singh1
, Sagar Jaiswal1
and Sayash Nair1
Source
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-025-01094-w
Date
2026
Contributor
peri irawan
Format
pdf
Language
english
Type
text
Files
Collection
Citation
Farzin Vajifdar1*, Khursheed Vazifdar1
, Vivek Singh1
, Sagar Jaiswal1
and Sayash Nair1, “Successful endoscopic retrieval of an
accidentally ingested toothbrush in a 95-year-
old male : a clinical case report,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 27, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/12951.
accidentally ingested toothbrush in a 95-year-
old male : a clinical case report,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 27, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/12951.