Vinyl glove ingestion in children: a word of caution.

BACKGROUND

Vinyl gloves when ingested will harden and develop sharp edges producing gastric bezoars; bowel obstruction; and, ultimately, perforation. We report 4 children with complications secondary to vinyl glove ingestion who required surgical intervention.

METHODS

A 3-year-old boy, a 13-year-old adolescent girl with Down syndrome, a 14-year-old adolescent girl, and a 15-year-old adolescent boy presented with bowel obstruction secondary to a bezoar caused by a vinyl glove. The adolescent girl with Down syndrome presented again at age 17 years with a large vinyl glove gastric bezoar. Three of the children had mental retardation, and 1 was a victim of child abuse. Three had laparoscopic-assisted removal of the vinyl glove bezoar, and 1 had laparotomy.

RESULTS

The 4 children recovered uneventfully. Two of the patients had unsuspected intestinal perforation. The caretakers denied awareness of the vinyl glove ingestion.

CONCLUSIONS

Vinyl glove ingestion can cause intestinal obstruction and perforation. Vinyl gloves should be removed from the immediate proximity of mentally retarded patients or patients with pica. Most of the time, the finding of vinyl gloves as etiology of the obstruction or perforation is incidental. If the event is known or witnessed, prompt surgical intervention is generally recommended.