[Foreign bodies of the esophagus: etiologic and therapeutic aspects. Experience at the CHU of Lomé (Togo)]. / Corps étrangers oesophagiens: aperçu étiologique et thérapeutique. Expérience du CHU de Lomé (Togo).

AIM: To give details of the management of esophageal foreign bodies (EFB) at our hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: ENT ward of Tokoin Teaching Hospital, Lome, Togo. PATIENTS: All 105 patients admitted to the hospital for ingestion of foreign bodies between January 1990 and December 1993. The outcome for each patient was determined by examining hospital records of demographic information, identification of the foreign body and the removal procedure used. RESULTS: EFBs accounted for 6.5% of all hospital admissions. The objects ingested included coins (59.0% of cases), particularly in 2 to 5 year-old children, fish bones (12.4%), meatballs, meat bones and dentures, particularly in adults. The foreign objects were mostly removed by esophagoscopy, but sharp objects required esophagotomy (2.9%). One patient died (0.9% of cases) due to mediastinitis caused by perforation of the esophagus by a chicken bone. CONCLUSION: Community health education programs, increasing awareness of household accidents might reduce the number of emergency hospital admissions for ingestion of foreign bodies.