Esophageal Foreign Bodies in Pediatric Patients : A Thirteen-Year Retrospective Study

Abstract EN

We discuss clinical symptoms and radiological findings of variable esophageal foreign bodies as well as therapeutic procedures in Caucasian pediatric patients.

A retrospective study of 192 cases of suspected esophageal foreign bodies between 1998 and 2010 was conducted.

Data were statistically analyzed by chi-square test.

A foreign body was removed from a digestive tract of 163 children aged 6 months to 15 years (mean age 4.9).

Most objects were located within cricopharyngeal sphincter.

Dysphagia occurred in 43%, followed by vomiting (29%) and drooling (28%).

The most common objects were coins.

Plain chest X-rays demonstrated aberrations in 132 cases, and in doubtful situations an esophagram test was ordered.

In the group of thirty-seven patients whose radiograms were normal, esophagoscopy revealed fifteen more objects, which were eventually successfully removed.

No major complications occurred.

Esophagram should be a second X-ray examination if an object is not detected in plain chest X-ray.

We recommend a rigid esophagoscopy under general anesthesia in doubtful cases as a safe treatment for pediatric patients.