An Unusual Pairing in the Gut: Accidental Ingestion of a Wireless Earbud in an Adult

Ingestion of foreign bodies is uncommon in adults; ingestion of modern electronic devices, such as wireless earbuds, is exceptionally rare.Wireless earbud ingestion represents an unusual clinical challenge because of the combination of a smooth gastrointestinal foreign body and an enclosed lithium-ion battery.The enclosed battery carries a risk of mucosal injury, perforation, and other battery-related complications, owing to which the optimal management of an intact earbud that has traversed the esophagus remains unclear.A 33-year-old man presented approximately six hours after suspected accidental ingestion of a wireless earbud.He had fallen asleep while listening to music and subsequently noted that one earbud was missing.Activation of the device's "Find My Earbuds" function produced an audible alert from his abdomen, prompting medical evaluation.He was hemodynamically stable and had no significant gastrointestinal symptoms.Plain radiographs demonstrated a radiopaque foreign body measuring approximately 26 × 17 mm in the stomach.In view of the absence of esophageal impaction or clinical complications, conservative management with close clinical and radiographic surveillance was initially adopted.Serial radiographs demonstrated progression of the earbud beyond the duodenum, followed by stagnation in the right iliac fossa, suggesting cecal impaction approximately 24 hours after presentation.Colonoscopy was subsequently performed under conscious sedation, and the intact earbud was successfully retrieved from the cecum using a Roth Net® retrieval device (US Endoscopy, Mentor, OH, USA) without mucosal injury.The patient remained asymptomatic during post-procedure observation and at seven-and 30-day follow-up.The decision to intervene was guided by the object's failure to progress and the feasibility of safe endoscopic retrieval, aimed at avoiding potential complications associated with prolonged retention or surgical intervention.This case illustrates that, in selected asymptomatic patients with an intact earbud that has traversed the esophagus, careful clinical and radiographic monitoring may be appropriate, with colonoscopic retrieval providing a safe and effective option when distal progression ceases.Individualized decisionmaking and multidisciplinary coordination are important to minimize unnecessary intervention while preventing potential battery-related complications.