The treatment of acute esophageal food impaction

Acute food impaction in the distal esophagus usually occurs in patients who have benign strictures, abnormal rings, esophagitis with spasm, or motility disturbances. Since a fixed fibrotic stricture or ring appears to be more common than spasm, the author advocates the administration of gas-forming agents in a first attempt to push the food into the stomach, to be followed by the intravenous administration of glucagon if results are not forthcoming. However, some patients will require endoscopic removal of the impacted food no matter what course of treatment is followed.