Review Article
Numismedica II: Health Problems Caused by Coins
Abstract
Coins occasionally cause health problems. These problems have a wide range of presentations and can affect multiple organ systems. This article updates a 2009 review of the medical literature addressing health problems caused by coins in several ways. The spectrum of clinical findings is expanded by describing new entities associated with coin ingestion, including laryngeal impaction in adults, gastric perforation, and pancreatic disease. Guidelines for differentiating swallowed coins from the potentially life-threatening mimic of swallowed button batteries are summarized. Multiple new case series better define outcomes and management approaches in coin ingestion. Metal toxicity from coins remains rarely reported. The evidence that systemic allergic reactions can result from ingested coins is strengthened by new case reports. Maintaining the perspective that coin ingestion can cause obscure symptoms may lead to both a diagnosis of the cause of such symptoms and the description of clinical findings not yet reported.This content is limited to qualifying members.
Existing members, please login first
If you have an existing account please login now to access this article or view purchase options.
Purchase only this article ($25)
Create a free account, then purchase this article to download or access it online for 24 hours.
Purchase an SMJ online subscription ($75)
Create a free account, then purchase a subscription to get complete access to all articles for a full year.
Purchase a membership plan (fees vary)
Premium members can access all articles plus recieve many more benefits. View all membership plans and benefit packages.
References
1. Olive, KE. Numismedica: health problems caused by coins. Am J Med Sci 2009;37:445–450.
2. Singh GB, Rai AK, Singh H, et al. A rare case of coin impaction in larynx in an adult. Clin Pract 2011;1:e3.
3. Ndiaye C, Regonne EJ, Ahme dH,et al. An unusual laryngeal foreign body in adult. Case Rep Otolaryngol 2016;2016:5798070.
4. Hathiram BT, Khattar V, Hiwarkar S,et al. An unusual presentation of impacted foreign-body in the adult larynx. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2011;63:96–98.
5. Fang N, Wang Z, Shang J, et al. Unusual aspiration of coin in the lower respiratory tract: two case reports. Medicine (Baltimore) 2018;97:e13462.
6. Pelham A. An unusual mechanism of foreign body aspiration: a vignette from the emergency department. BMJ Case Rep 2014;2014:bcr2013202248.
7. Lewis C, Hsu HK, Hoover E. Aspiration of foreign bodies in adults with personality disorders: impact on diagnosis and recurrence. J Natl Med Assoc 2011;103:620–622.
8. Gupta R, Poorey VK. Incidence of foreign bodies in aerodigestive tract in Vindhya region: our experience. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2014;66:135–141.
9. Shunyu NB, Akhtar H, Rezaul Karim H, et al. Ear, nose and throat foreign bodies removed under general anaesthesia: a retrospective study. J Clin Diagn Res 2017;11:MC01–MC04.
10. Hariga I, Khamassi K, Zribi S, et al. Management of foreign bodies in the aerodigestive tract. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2014;66(Suppl 1):220–224.
11. Mooij CF, Zwitserloot AM, Wijnen MHWA, et al. A child with an oesophageal foreign body for 1.5 years. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2010;154:A1482.
12. Skansing DB, EgsgaardV. Plastic coin in the oesophagusinaone-year-old girl with long-term aerodigestive symptoms. Ugeskr Laeger 2020;182:V03200177.
13. Mori T, Inoue N. Nasopharyngeal foreign body triggered by a blind finger sweep. BMJ Case Rep 2016;2016:bcr2016216536.
14. Sekiya K, Mori S, Otomo Y. Coin pica-induced gastric perforation resulting from ingestion of 1,894 coins, 8 kg in total: case report and review of published works. Acute Med Surg 2017;5: 177–180.
15. Pugh A, Schunk J, Ryan S. A 3-year-old boy with rapid obstructive symptoms secondary to coin ingestion and gastric impaction. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open 2021;2:e12382.
16. Then EO, John F,Catalano C,et al. An unexpected surprise: delayed gastric outlet obstruction from coin ingestion. Clin Pract 2019;9:1153.
17. Tan DTM, PhanYC, Leung E. Buried coin in the gastric mucosa. BMJ Case Rep 2019;12:bcr2018-227622.
18. Altan E, Kav T. How much is a coin worth: acute pancreatitis, suspected pancreatic cancer, and a Whipple surgery caused by ingestion of a coin? Prz Gastroenterol 2021;16:390–391.
19. Ismail I, Mudge DW. Pancreatic and biliary obstruction years after retention of a swallowed coin in a duodenal diverticulum: a case report. JMedCaseRep2015;9:144.
20. Cerit KK, Kalyoncu A, Erbarut I. Laparoscopic approach for removing a coin trapped in Meckel’s diverticulum. Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg 2017;23:438–440.
21. Shen XF, Li Q. Which coin is easier to pass esophagus spontaneously? Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2019;126:109596.
22. Dedhia K, Chang YF, Leonardis R, et al. Is there a need for repeat radiologic examination of children with esophageal coin foreign body? Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2017;156: 173–179.
23. Singh N,Chong J ,Ho J, et al. Predictive factors associated with spontaneous passage of coins: a ten-year analysis of paediatric coin ingestion in Australia. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2018;113:266–271.
24. Ang CX, Mun WK, Aw MM, et al. Gastrointestinal transit time of radiopaque ingested foreign bodies in children: experience of two paediatric tertiary centres. Singapore Med J 2023 Apr 25 publish ahead of print, doi: 10.4103/singaporemedj.SMJ-2021-408.
25. LeškováJ, ŠtichhauerR, Preis J, etal. Foreign body ingestion inchildren. Rozhl Chir 2019;98: 370–374.
26. Bhargava R, Brown L. Esophageal coin removal by emergency physicians: a continuous quality improvement project incorporating rapid sequence intubation. CJEM 2011;13:28–33.
27. Younas M. Removal of coins from oesophagus with Foley catheter under ketamine effect. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad 2012;24:183–185.
28. Agarwala S, Bhatnagar V, Mitra DK. Coins can be safely removed from the esophagus by Foley’s catheter without fluoroscopic control. Indian Pediatr 1996;33:109–111.
29. Tarrats LA, Rivera-Rodrigquez M, González L, et al. Anterior-commissure laryngoscope extraction of esophageal coins in children using an apnea technique. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2015;152:1145–1148.
30. Oncel M, Sunam GS, Elsurer C, et al. Use of Magill forceps to remove foreign bodies in children. Surg J (N Y).2017;3:e91–e95.
31. Popel J, El-Hakim H, El-Matary W. Esophageal foreign body extraction in children: flexible versus rigid endoscopy. Surg Endosc 2011;25:919–922.
32. Heinzerling NP, Christensen MA, Swedler R, et al. Safe and effective management of esophageal coins in children with bougienage. Surgery 2015;158:1065–1070.
33. Allie EH, Blackshaw AM, Losek JD et al. Clinical effectiveness of bougienage for esophageal coins in a pediatric ED. Am J Emerg Med 2014;32:1263–1269.
34. Arms JL, Macklenberg-Mohn, MD, Bowen MV, et al. Safety and efficacy of a protocol using bougienage or endoscopy for the management of coins acutely lodged in the esophagus: a large case series. Ann Emerg Med 2008;51:367–372.
35. Denney W, Ahmad N, Dillard B, et al. Children will eat the strangest things: a 10-year retrospective analysis of foreign body and caustic ingestions from a single academic center. Pediatr Emerg Care 2012;28:731–734.
36. Russell R, Lucas A, Johnson J, et al. Extraction of esophageal foreign bodies in children: rigid versus flexible endoscopy. Pediatr Surg Int 2014;30:417–422.
37. Guanà R, Bianco E, Garofalo S, et al. Handheld metal-detector versus conventional chest and abdominal plain radiography in children with suspected metallic foreign body ingestion: can we safely abandon X-rays? Minerva Pediatr (Torino) 2023;75:803–807.
38. Tseng CC, Hsiao TY, Hsu WC. Comparison of rigid and flexible endoscopy for removing esophageal foreign bodies in an emergency. J Formos Med Assoc 2016;115:639–644.
39. Jayachandra S, Eslick G. A systematic review of paediatric foreign body ingestion: presentation, complications, and management. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2013;77: 311–317.
40. Semple T, Calder AD, Ramaswamy M, et al. Button battery ingestion in children—a potentially catastrophic event of which all radiologists must be aware. Br J Radiol 2018;91: 20160781.
41. Mubarak A, Benninga MA, Broekhaert I, et al. Diagnosis, management, and prevention of button battery ingestion in childhood: a European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition position paper. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2021;73:126–136.
42. Whelan R, Shaffer, Dohar JE. Button battery versus stacked coin ingestion: a conundrum for radiographic diagnosis. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2019;126:109627.
43. Safavi AR, Brook CD, Sakai O, et al. Urgency of esophageal foreign body removal: differentiation between coins and button cell batteries. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2022; 166:80–85.
44. Rostad BS, Richer EJ, Riedesel EL, et al. Esophageal discoid foreign body detection and classification using artificial intelligence. Pediatr Radiol 2022; 52:477–482.
45. Sethia R, Gibbs H, Jacobs IN, et al. Current management of button battery injuries. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol 2021;6:549–563.
46. Dolcourt BA, Paxton JH, Bora KM et al. Pennies for your thoughts: a case series of pancytopenia due to zinc-induced copper deficiency in the same patient. Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med 2019;3:341–344.
47. Almeida BJ, Almeida HS, Fonseca C. A coin crisis: a case report of pica with mini review. Eat Weight Disord 2020;25:1125–1128.
48. Thyssen JP, Gawkrodger DJ, White IR et al. Coin exposure may cause allergic nickel dermatitis: a review. Contact Dermatitis 2013;68:3–14.
49. McLeanL, YewchukL, Israel DM, etal. Acute onset of generalized pruritic rash in a toddler. Diagnosis: systemic allergic (contact) dermatitis to nickel from ingestion of metal coins. Pediatr Dermatol 2011;28:53–54.
50. Duchesnay I, Livingston MD, Van Houwelingen L, et al. Generalised urticaria following ingestion of a nickel-plated coin in a 4-year-old girl. BMJ Case Rep 2020;13:e234601.
51. Lidén C, Skare S, Vahter M. Release of nickel from coins and deposition onto skin from coin handling—comparing Euro coins and SEK. Contact Dermatitis 2008;59:31–37.
52. Julander A, Midander K, Herting G, et al. New UK nickel-plated steel coins constitute an increased allergy and eczema risk. Contact Dermatitis 2013;68:323–330.
53. de Groot NMS, Scholte AJHA, Jongbloed MRM, et al. Do not put money where your mouth is! Am J Med Sci 2010;339:89–91.
54. MedatwalA, GuptaPP, Gulati RK. Multiple foreign bodies in a neonate. Indian Pediatr2008; 45:928–930.
55. Wong PY, Charn TC, Ismail A, et al. Teary eyes due to 21 pence? BMJ Case Rep 2015;2015: bcr2014206947.
