Management of Wire Brush Bristle Ingestion

Objectives: To increase awareness of wire brush bristle ingestion, review the literature relating to wire brush bristle ingestion, and describe an algorithm for management of wire brush bristle foreign bodies as well as a technique for bedside removal. Methods: The authors present a case of an accidental wire bristle ingestion that was successfully treated with bedside removal and describe a successful bedside technique for removal. For the literature review, the PubMed journal database and Google Scholar were queried using the search terms wire bristle, wire brush, grill brush, and grill bristle. Results: Twenty-three wire brush ingestions with upper aerodigestive presentations were identified in the medical literature. Bedside visualization was attempted in 10 patients and successful in 5. The foreign body was able to be removed at the bedside in 3 of these patients. Two patients were managed conservatively. The authors developed an algorithm for management based on these literature findings. Conclusion: Wire brush bristle ingestion is increasingly common in the literature, and a definitive algorithm does not exist for management. The authors present an algorithm for management and describe a technique for successful removal at the bedside.