Fallone: Plastic bread-bag clips: the saga continues< [CMAJ

Plastic bread-bag clips: the saga continues

CMAJ 2000;163(1):16

I was surprised to see how many cases of plastic bread-bag clip ingestion with complications have been previously reported [Research].¹ We also had 1 case recently in a 73-year-old woman who had unknowingly ingested a plastic bread-bag clip and subsequently complained of epigastric pain. An upper gastrointestinal barium study suggested gastric ulceration. When we performed a gastroscopy we were surprised to see a plastic bread-bag clip lodged in the pyloris (Fig. 1). The angled teeth of the plastic clip had trapped the pyloric lip and had become deeply embedded. We used a snare to grab the clip and gently pull it out of the gastric mucosa. The clip was removed without sequela and the patient was placed on acid suppression with complete resolution of her symptoms. With regards to the risk factors mentioned by the authors, our patient wore dentures but did not have dementia.

I support Ken Newell and colleagues' suggestion that other forms of bag ties be used or that these clips be physically altered to minimize these occurrences.¹

Carlo Fallone
Gastroenterologist
McGill University Health Centre
Montreal, Que.
cfallone@lan1.molonc.mcgill.ca

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Reference

Newell KJ, Taylor B, Walton JC, Tweedie EJ. Plastic bread-bag clips in the gastrointestinal tract: report of 5 cases and review of the literature. CMAJ 2000;162(4):527-9.