Foreign Bodies of the Esophagus

Coins, dentures, bones, needles, large pieces of meat are examples of the most common foreign bodies that can enter the esophagus. Foreign bodies with smooth edges larger than 2 cm in size can cause acute dysphagia (and blockage most often occurs in the narrowest place - at the level of the lower esophageal sphincter). If the foreign body does not completely block the esophagus, the patient experiences dysphagia when passing solid food, which is also typical for tumor lesions of the esophagus.

Pointed objects cause damage to the wall of the esophagus. With superficial damage to the wall, the clinical picture of esophagospasm occurs, with penetrating damage - mediastinitis. The diagnosis is based on medical history, X-ray examination of the esophagus with water-soluble contrast in a horizontal position of the patient, and fibroesophagoscopy.

Sometimes swallowing a small piece of cotton wool soaked in barium has an effect: the cotton wool gets stuck on pointed objects embedded in the wall of the esophagus.

Treatment consists of removing foreign bodies using a fibroesophagoscope; sometimes they are removed through a rigid esophagoscope under general anesthesia.

The prognosis is usually favorable. For penetrating injuries to the esophageal wall, the prognosis depends on the timing of diagnosis and initiation of treatment for mediastinitis.