An interesting presentation of a foreign body in the esophagus: a case report of awake central apnea

Abstract

Background Foreign body in the esophagus is most commonly observed at the cervical esophagus level and is often detected in pediatric patients. Esophagoscopy is the definitive diagnosis and treatment instrument in foreign body ingestion, and the procedure should not be delayed to avoid serious complications such as late tracheoesophageal fistula and perforation. While sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, and hypersalivation are the main complaints in almost all patients, respiratory symptoms due to tracheal compression can also be observed. Case presentation We present our 5-year-old patient who presented with the complaint of foreign body ingestion, dysphagia, and hypersalivation due to foreign body in the cervical esophagus, and isolated central awake apnea, which is not seen in the literature. The patient, who had central awake apnea in the supine position, was completely normal after the removal of the foreign body. Conclusions Foreign bodies in the esophagus, which are not more urgent than foreign bodies in the respiratory tract, can sometimes threaten life through central apnea in the acute process, and one should be alert.