Unsuspected swallowing of a partial denture

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Gastroenterology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Foreign body ingestion is common, but esophageal or hypopharyngeal denture impaction is rare.
• Symptoms like dysphagia and odynophagia can mimic other upper airway and esophageal conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of a swallowed partial denture causing significant upper airway and esophageal symptoms.
• To highlight the challenges in diagnosing radiolucent foreign bodies like dentures on initial imaging.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 51-year-old male with progressive dysphagia, odynophagia, and fevers.
• Initial diagnosis via flexible endoscopy suggested supraglottitis; symptoms persisted.
• Definitive diagnosis with rigid laryngoscopy revealing a partial denture in the hypopharynx and upper esophagus.

Main Results:

• Initial imaging and flexible endoscopy were misleading, suggesting supraglottitis.
• Rigid laryngoscopy was crucial for identifying the impacted partial denture.
• The patient's persistent symptoms were directly attributable to the foreign body.

Conclusions:

• Swallowed dentures can present insidiously with symptoms mimicking common upper airway and esophageal pathologies.
• Radiolucent foreign bodies require high clinical suspicion, and advanced visualization techniques may be necessary for diagnosis.
• This case underscores the importance of considering unusual diagnoses in persistent, unexplained symptoms.