Hairpin Ingestion, an Unusual Cause of Epigastralgia

Abstract

The ingestion of foreign bodies is relatively frequent. It can be voluntary, but it is most often accidental. Ingested objects can be dangerous due to their sharp nature and their location in the digestive tract. The scarf pin is a particular foreign body that is increasingly common among women who wear the veil. Imaging plays a key role in the diagnosis, particularly chest x-rays or an abdomen without preparation, which can locate the area of projection of radio-opaque objects. More rarely, CT is used in the event of complications. We report two cases of two patients wearing the veil who accidentally ingested pins that they were holding between their lips while arranging the veil. In the first case, endoscopic extraction of the pin was successfully performed, and in the second case, the pin migrated along the digestive tract with close radiological monitoring until it was expelled in the stool. Considering the complications of needle ingestion, it is advisable to avoid holding needles between the lips when securing the veil with pins.