CASE REPORT article
Front. Pediatr.
Sec. Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Case Report: Occult Gastric Corrosion of a Brass Pendant During Endoscopic Retrieval in a Child
Provisionally accepted
- Saga Medical School Hospital, Saga University, Saga, Japan
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Background Ingestion of a metallic foreign body is common among young children. Although most objects pass spontaneously, some require endoscopic removal. Brass and similar metals can undergo acid-induced dezincification, leading to internal weakening even if the surface appears unchanged. This report describes a rare case of brass pendant ingestion affected by such corrosion. Case Presentation A 4-year-old boy ingested a brass pendant that remained in his stomach for 72 h, prompting endoscopic retrieval. Although there was no visible corrosion, the pendant fractured at a narrow segment when traction was applied at a physiological esophageal narrowing site. The remaining portion was safely removed after re-grasping the thickest, structurally strongest region. Conclusion Despite having a normal appearance, metallic foreign bodies may weaken internally after 48–72 hours (2–3 days) of gastric exposure. Hence, endoscopists should anticipate hidden corrosion and grasp the thickest, most reinforced area during removal while considering mechanical stress at esophageal narrowing sites to ensure safe retrieval.
Keywords: Child, corrosion, Endoscopy, Esophageal Diseases, Foreign Bodies, gastrointestinal, preschool
Received: 11 Dec 2025; Accepted: 26 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Ehara, Nomura, Mizoguchi, Kimura, Yamaguchi and Kakiuchi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Toshihiko Kakiuchi
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