Mother Blogger

The Deadly Bread Clip

Bread clips are rarely found as foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract. When present, the clip can adhere to the mucosa causing obstruction, perforation, or bleeding. There have been twenty three reported cases of bread clips found in the gastrointestinal tract. Bowel obstruction and perforation are the most common clinical presentations. Our patient is the second reported case world-wide of gastrointestinal bleeding caused by a bread clip. The small bowel is the most common site of impaction thought to be due to the smaller diameter and irregularly folded mucosa. Esophageal and colonic impactions have also been described. Complications may arise up to years after ingestion. As there was no expiration date on our patient's clip, it was impossible to estimate the time from ingestion. Most cases of ingested bread clips are elderly, edentulous patients. Our patient's accidental ingestion was due to his severe vision impairment. Diagnosis is often difficult secondary to unawareness of ingestion and radiolucency on x-ray. Therefore, impaction of a radiolucent foreign body should always be considered in the differential of gastrointestinal bleeding. Given the significant morbidity and mortality related to bread clip ingestion, some countries have eliminated their use while others are looking for a newly-designed clip.

Question:  What did the patient think he was eating? Is there any food that resembles a bread clip?  If so, please name it.