Novel endoscopic cryoprobe extraction of acute food bolus impaction: a case report

Acute food bolus impaction is frequently encountered in pediatric patients with underlying esophageal conditions. Traditional endoscopic methods for removing friable boluses, such as meat, are often time-intensive and challenging. This report explores the novel application of cryoadhesion, or freezing and adhering an object to a cryoprobe, for esophageal meat bolus extraction. A 25-year-old man with trisomy 21 and eosinophilic esophagitis presented with acute food bolus impaction. After unsuccessful conventional endoscopic maneuvers, a cryoprobe was externally attached to an endoscope and used to achieve cryoadhesion and extraction of the meat bolus. Within 10 minutes, the meat bolus was successfully removed attached to the cryoprobe without mucosal injury. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged the next day without adverse events. Cryoadhesion via a flexible cryoprobe may offer a feasible alternative for removing challenging food impactions. Further investigation is warranted to evaluate its safety and efficacy.