Introduction
Food and a variety of other swallowed objects can become impacted in the pharynx or upper esophagus.
In children, these objects apart from food can be play objects, toy pieces, coins, safety pins; fish bones, poorly chewed meat, dentures mainly in adults.
Sharp objects may be arrested in the
oropharynx, most others at the
cricopharyngeal sphincter.
Clinical features
- Dysphagia, drooling of saliva, cough at times.
Complication:
- Perforation of oesophagus, mediastinitis, aspiration pneumonitis
Investigation
- Radiogragh of neck and chest
Treatment objectives:
- To remove foreign body expeditiously
Non-drug treatment
- Removal under local anaesthetic if object visualised in oropharynx
- Removal under general anaesthetic
with oesophagoscopy if object is in hypopharynx or cervical oesophagus
Drug treatment
- Antibiotic prophylaxis if indicated (Amoxicillin)