Foreign bodies in esophagus in children – five years of clinical experience
General Medicine, 2025, 27(3), 3-9.
S. Markov1,2, P. Markova3,4
1 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University – Plovdiv
2 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital “Sv. Georgi“ – Plovdiv
3 Department of Pediatrics, Medical University ‒ Plovdiv
4 Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital “Sv. Georgi“ – Plovdiv
Abstract.
Introduction: Foreign bodies in the esophagus in children are a common pathology in emergency centers worldwide, with no observed trend of decreasing incidence. As they explore the world around them in various ways, children tend to put objects of different shapes, sizes, and compositions into their mouths, creating a risk of ingestion and possible lodging in the esophagus. Aim: The aim of this article is to present our clinical experience with foreign bodies in the esophagus in children in recent years, comparing our results with international data from the literature. Patients and Methods: Over a period of five years, 138 patients under the age of 18 with suspected foreign bodies in the esophagus were examined in our clinic. All of them underwent rigid esophagoscopy for extraction purposes. Results: Esophagoscopy confirmed the presence of a foreign body in the esophagus in 56 cases, while in 82 cases, no foreign body was found. In 100% of cases, where a foreign body was detected, it was successfully extracted without complications. Conclusion: Foreign bodies in the esophagus, particularly in children, represent a medical emergency with no declining trend in frequency. Their removal using rigid or flexible esophagoscopy under general anesthesia remains the gold standard for management. Despite extensive experience with this method, the complexity of the procedure and potential complications should not be underestimated
Key words: esophagus, foreign body, esophagoscopy