[Surgical approach to esophageal foreign bodies (author's transl)]

Fourteen patients with pharyngo-esophageal foreign bodies are reported. The esophagus was normal in 7 cases, two foreign bodies were ejected spontaneously, one was extracted by endoscopy, two by cervicotomy, one by thoracotomy, and one by cervicothoracotomy. It is rare for dental prostheses to be swallowed, but mention is made of a patient who swallowed a live fish accidentally, and developed cervical emphysema. In 7 cases the foreign body was retained by an esophageal stenosis following previous caustic burns. It was removed by thoracotomy in one case, gastrostomy in 3 cases, colo-esophagoplasty in 2 cases, and by relief of an esophagocolic stenosis in the last case. Long-term results were excellent except for one early postoperative death due to a cerebrosvascular accident, and another from bronchopneumonia at a later stage. Therapy varies according to the condition of the esophagus, the site of the foreign body, and the time when the patient is hospitalized.