Current management of esophageal foreign bodies

Between 1972 and 1978, a total of 159 cases of esophageal foreign body were treated at the University of Minnesota Affiliated Hospitals, Minneapolis. Although coins were the most frequent offending agent in the pediatric group, meat was the most common in the entire series (60%). Eighty percent of coins were impacted in the upper esophagus, while meat impaction occurred most frequently in the distal esophagus (42%). Rigid esophagoscopy was performed in 134 patients. The foreign body was removed during esophagoscopy in 122 cases, advanced into the stomach in two cases, and not found in ten cases. In addition to esophagoscopy, when meat obstruction was suspected, several pharmacologic agents were successful in relieving the obstruction, such as parenterally administered diazepam (Valium) (8/27) and glucagon (6/14). Spontaneous passage was noted in seven cases. No cases of esophageal carcinoma were discovered in this series.