Foreign body removal training at the Vlietlandhospital (Schiedam, Netherlands)

Training for foreign-body procedures

Ingestion of foreign bodies is on the rise, with sometimes devastating effects on the most vulnerable: children and the elderly.  Fortunately, developments in specialized endoscopic techniques and equipment are keeping pace: facilitating quicker and safer removal of foreign bodies.

Recently Vlietland Hospital (in Schiedam, a city close to Rotterdam) used MTT’s silicone upper-GI model and TD-box for a training session focused upon the removal of batteries.  Especially when lodged in the esophagus, batteries can lead to quickly to life-threatening burns and complications.

These photos give an impression of the training while nurses Marlon, Marit and Patty share experiences and challenge each other. They examined, for instance, what kinds of retrieval devices, net or basket, hood or overtube—works best for different types of battery: block, cylindrical or, particularly prevalent, dangerous and challenging, button cell. In this way their general knowledge improves, and they prepare for urgent cases, which saves time and stress during critical situations.