[An unusual location of a foreign body in the posterior hypopharynx--case report]

The foreign bodies ingestion are common among the patients admitting to the ENT Emergency Unit. Usually the treatment does not cause too much trouble, however, the symptoms and possible complications might be potentially life threatening. The 64 years old female suffering from severe pain in the hypopharynx and dysphagia was introduced to the ENT Emergency Unit of the F. Raszeja City Hospital in Poznań. The laryngological examination showed the piece of the needle protruding from the back wall of the hypopharynx. The CT scans indicated the tip of the needle, touching the transverse processes of the C3 and C4 vertebrae. Unfortunately the analysis of the CT scans could not clearly exclude the injury of the vertebral artery.