A solution to the wire foreign body problem that we have been reading about

[surgblumm]

This is a bit of an unusual post on this forum but it is a response to what we have been reading in the literature and other medical sites concerning wire fragments that have become a foreign body in the esophagus. It's enjoyable to visit with friends and family and to sit down at a great BBQ and enjoy burgers and steaks and fish and whatever other creations you like to consume. It's not enjoyable when that visit lands you in the ER with a foreign body that is actually one of the wires from the grill cleaning brush.

This weekend , we hosted a family BBQ for my son-in-laws parents who were visiting from Florida and his Dad, Ken, asked me what I was using to clean my grates. I had read the articles on foreign bodies and promptly discarded my wire brush and replaced it with a synthetic hand brush . He told me about a product that he used and this morning I opened my front door to be surprised by a delivery that contained the brush he spoke of and a copper re-usable mat for the grates. I examined the brush as if it were a surgical instrument and it far surpassed what I had expected. It was well made, sturdy, heavy and long--everything you need in a good brush. If you want to see the brush and purchase it, I went to the source website and found it. www.mountaingrillers.com.

[sas5814]

Interesting! I was just grilling ribs yesterday and haven't eaten a wire so far as I know but I certainly scrubbed the grill with a wire brush before I cooked. Thanks Bob!

 

[bovineplane]

Just crumble up a small ball of foil. Use the spatula or similar instrument to press it into the grill grates like a brush. Always clean and cheap. In my area discarded foil can now be placed into recycle bins for those who think it is wasteful. 

 

[cbrsmurf]

I work in ENT and have seen this a couple of times.  I was not an easy removal as they tend to be small and can be difficult to pickup on imaging.