Foreign body in the esophagus: a review

Abstract

Foreign body in the esophagus is a common emergency presentation. The approach towards a patient with a foreign body in the esophagus comprises a thorough history and systematic examination followed by relevant investigations. However, there is considerable debate over the most appropriate treatment option for such patients. This review aims to develop a comprehensive approach towards patients presenting with foreign body ingestion by developing clinical practice guidelines. These guidelines address not only the initial evaluation of the patient but also the various management alternatives and their advantages, limitations and applicability in various scenarios, based upon a review of the literature.

Cuerpo extraño gastrointestinal en niños

“…La sintomatología encontrada en nuestros pacientes se corresponde con la literatura [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] , aunque siempre hay tener en consideración que un porcentaje importante de niños llega al servicio de urgencia asintomáticos, hasta un 50% en algunas publicaciones (15%). La mayoría de los CE esofágicos se alojan inmediatamente por debajo del músculo cricofaríngeo ocasionado síntomas como náuseas, sialorrea, vómito, hematemesis, dolor abdominal, odinofagia y sensación de opresión traqueal.…”

“…Se describe que en la edad pediátrica se presenta el 80% de los CE, observándose principalmente entre los 6 meses y los 3 años de edad 1 y constituye la segunda causa de endoscopia digestiva urgente en pediatría 2 . En niños habitualmente la ingesta es accidental, siendo especialmente frecuente en aquellos que presentan factores predisponentes como trastornos neurológicos, psiquiátricos, enfermedades neuromusculares, estenosis esofágica previa, esofagitis eosinofí-lica o enfermedad péptica [3][4][5] . En Estados Unidos se reporta una incidencia anual de 100.000 casos en este grupo etario 1,6 .…”

Protein energy malnutrition revealing an esophageal foreign body

“…Sometimes, foreign body ingestions are not witnessed and in many cases, the child never develops symptoms [6]. Thus, esophageal foreign body's diagnosis imposes a rigorous diagnostic approach including meticulous history, methodical examination and pertinent investigations [3]. Besides, it should be noted that a negative history does not rule out the diagnosis of esophageal foreign body in children [3].…”

“…The usual malnutrition causes are known: inappropriate food habit, family problems such as divorce and poverty. Esophageal foreign body is also a common emergency presentation due to the possible local complications with high morbidity and mortality [3,4]. Despite the frequency and seriousness of this issue, protein energy malnutrition caused by an esophageal foreign body has never been described.…”

Esophageal foreign bodies in children and adults: 20 years experience

“…Literatürde hemen bütün yabancı cisimlerin ağrıya yol açabildiği, ancak düzgün ve künt olanların semptomsuz kalabileceği vurgulanmıştır. [8] Bununla birlikte çok sayıda hastada herhangi bir belirti bulunmaz. Çalışmamızdaki çocukların büyük çoğunluğu verilen yiyecekleri reddetme ve sialore şi-kayetleriyle kliniğimize getirilmiştir.…”