
Study to determine typical transit time for a swallowed Lego figurine head - jackpirate
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jpc.14309
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yesenadam
Abstract

Aim

Children frequently ingest coins (generally with minimal reported side
effects); however, the ingestion of other items has been subject to less
academic study. Parental concern regarding ingestion applies across a range of
materials. In this study, we aimed to determine typical transit times for
another commonly swallowed object: a Lego figurine head.

Methods

Six paediatric health‐care professionals were recruited to swallow a Lego
head. Previous gastrointestinal surgery, inability to ingest foreign objects
and aversion to searching through faecal matter were all exclusion criteria.
Pre‐ingestion bowel habit was standardised by the Stool Hardness and Transit
(SHAT) score. Participants ingested a Lego head, and the time taken for the
object to be found in the participants stool was recorded. The primary outcome
was the Found and Retrieved Time (FART) score.

Results

The FART score averaged 1.71 days. There was some evidence that females may be
more accomplished at searching through their stools than males, but this could
not be statistically validated.

Conclusions

A toy object quickly passes through adult subjects with no complications. This
will reassure parents, and the authors advocate that no parent should be
expected to search through their child's faeces to prove object retrieval.

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pmiller2
I hope I’m not the only one who checked to see if this was published on April
1.

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waterhouse
Indeed.

> Stool Hardness and Transit (SHAT) score

Hmm, that could be a joke or could be a coincidence...

> Found and Retrieved Time (FART) score

Ok, that seems like more than a coincidence. The authors are clearly at least
having fun with it.

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eganist
> Ok, that seems like more than a coincidence

hmmm

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owyn
Fine work! This needs to be nominated for an Ig Nobel prize!

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whoopdedo
I can only assume this was the intent of the authors.

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atomical
The FART score. Good one guys.

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duskwuff
And the "Stool Hardness And Transit" score. I get the sense the researchers
were having a bit of a giggle.

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rmbeard
This must be a candidate for an igNobel.

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chrisbennet
When I read the title to a buddy he said: "Asking for a friend."

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wild_preference
I've done this experiment every time I've eaten beets.

