RESUMO
@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> To test a soft gel capsule with barium sulfate as a medium for modified barium esophagogram in detecting esophageal foreign body.<br /><strong>METHODS:</strong><br /><strong>Design:</strong> Preliminary Diagnostic Test Assessment; Consecutive Convenience Sample<br /><strong>Setting:</strong> Tertiary Government Hospital<br /><strong>Patient:</strong> Soft gel capsule with barium sulfate was pilot tested on patients with a history and diagnosis of radiolucent foreign body ingestion between June 1 and November 30, 2014.<br /><strong>RESULTS:</strong> Seven patients (6 males, 1 female; aged 26 - 61 years) underwent the procedure. In all seven, the enhanced capsule immediately stopped above the level of the esophageal foreign body, easily identifying the exact location of the obstruction. Foreign bodies included 1 embryonated duck-egg white "balut", 5 chunks of pork meat and 1 claspless denture. All were successfully marked by the capsule on fluoroscopy and documented on X-ray. Esophagoscopy under general anesthesia was successfully performed after fluoroscopy in all patients.<br /><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> We were able to improvise a new medium for use in modified barium esophagograms that was easy to prepare and that rendered good radiographic imaging and localization of radiolucent foreign bodies. A randomized trial in comparison to the prevailing test may confirm our findings further. Meanwhile, we recommend exploring the procedure in other hospitals as an alternative to barium-soaked cotton in the diagnosis of radiolucent esophageal foreign bodies</p>