TY - JOUR T1 - Things that go beep: experience with an ED guideline for use of a handheld metal detector in the management of ingested non-hazardous metallic foreign bodies JF - Emergency Medicine Journal JO - Emerg Med J SP - 456 LP - 460 DO - 10.1136/emj.2005.029553 VL - 23 IS - 6 AU - S L Ramlakhan AU - D P Burke AU - J Gilchrist Y1 - 2006/06/01 UR - http://emj.bmj.com/content/23/6/456.abstract N2 - Objectives: To review compliance with our emergency department (ED) guideline on the imaging of ingested non-hazardous metallic foreign bodies in children, investigate adverse outcomes, and make suggestions for improving the guideline. Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients presenting in a 3 year period to a paediatric ED with a history of possible metallic foreign body (MFB) ingestion, who were managed according to an ED guideline. Results: We identified 430 episodes of possible MFB ingestion, of which 422 were eligible for inclusion in the study. Compliance with the guideline was 77.8% with no significant adverse events. The exclusion of symptoms as a criterion for x ray results in a reduction in the x ray rate of 56% in the symptomatic group with no increase in adverse events. Conclusion: A handheld metal detector (HMD) can be safely and reliably used in lieu of plain radiography to investigate children with a history of MFB ingestion, irrespective of symptoms and without incurring any significant adverse events. ER -