Core Factsheet - The Hazards Of Swallowing Glass

A fact sheet on the hazards of swallowing glass has been produced by CORE - the foundation for digestive disorders. It can be downloaded from the above-mentioned website free of charge. Sharp objects such as glass fragments might be expected to cause damage but rarely do so because of the gentle way in which the bowel handles them. Small splinters or spikes could cause perforation but this is very unusual. A small perforation rarely leads to peritonitis and usually heals quickly with any leakage contained. Small fragments may also cause a little bleeding into the bowel which can be detected on tests in the stools but serious blood loss is very rare. Ground glass, despite its reputation in thrillers, has no serious effect on the bowel.