Oesophageal foreign bodies

ABSTRACT

The impaction of foreign body into the upper digestive tract is a common accident, specially in children. Removal of foreign bodies from the oesophagus by oesophagoscopy under general anaesthesia has been considered to be relatively safe and effective. This paper reports 110 cases of oesophageal foreign bodies removed by rigid endoscopy. The common foreign bodies were coins [61%] and bone pieces [20%], 65% were in children under 10 years of age. Upper oesophageal sphincter was the commonest site of impaction