A 13-year-old girl from Jerusalem was taken to Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital on Saturday night after she accidentally swallowed a sewing pin while preparing her costume for Purim. She held the sewing pin in her mouth - intending to hold it for a moment. She accidentally inhaled and swallowed. Her parents quickly drove her to the children's emergency room, where she was received by Dr. Saar Hashaviya, head of the emergency department, who immediately ordered an X-ray. Related articles: Live: Megillat Esther at Hostages Square Purim in a year of hate Jewish families honor Ariel and Kfir Bibas with Batman costumes A new reading of Megillat Esther "The girl arrived accompanied by her parents while suffering from a sore throat but was completely stable," describes Dr. Liron Birimberg-Shwartz, a pediatric gastroenterology specialist and the medical director of the organoid center at Hadassah. "The X-ray revealed that the pin was in the stomach, and there was concern that it could get stuck and cause harm." After consulting with the parents, it was decided to transfer the girl to the operating room for urgent endoscopy. "Under full anesthesia, we began the procedure and found the pin. Using specialized equipment, the pin was removed without causing damage to the stomach or the esophagus." The pin that was removed Photo: Hadassah Spokesperson The urgent need for surgery, explains Dr. Birimberg-Shwartz, is to prevent complications and the need for more complex surgery. "If the foreign body is located in an area that cannot be easily accessed, or if it starts to harm any tissues, the treatment becomes more challenging and the damage could be more serious," she details. Dr. Hashaviya, head of the children's emergency room at Hadassah, also emphasizes: "Every swallowing of a foreign body requires urgent attention, but swallowing sharp objects, batteries, and magnets requires especially urgent attention, and one should seek medical evaluation as soon as possible, even if the child has no complaints following the swallowing." After a day of observation, the girl was discharged with her parents.
