UNIQUE FOREIGN BODY OESOPHAGUS

Abstract

An impacted esophageal foreign body is most often an urgent, rather than a lifethreatening, medical situation. Pharmacologic or mechanical methods can be used to relieve the impaction, depending on the patient, as well as the location and physical properties of the foreign body. Rigid oesophagoscopy is the accepted standard of care for removal of an object that is not smooth, radiopaque, inert or recently impacted. Although controversial, balloon catheter extraction may be an acceptable alternative in selected cases of esophageal impaction. Intravenous glucagon is useful in relieving distal impaction. The estimated annual incidence of foreign body ingestion in the USA is about 120 per 1 million population, with
approximately 1:500 deaths reported each year8. Typically, two types of foreign bodies are encountered: true foreign bodies (eg, buttons, coins, pieces of balloon) and food-related foreign bodies.