Removal of foreign-bodies under general anaesthesia. A review of rigid endoscopy for foreign-bodies of the hypopharynx and oesophagus

A total of 36 patients with suspected foreign body (FB) of the oesophagus who underwent rigid endoscopy under general anaesthesia (GA) from January 2005 to March 2007 were reviewed. The majority of the patients were working adults in the 3rd to 5th decade of life. There was no foreign body in 33.3% of the patients. Co-morbidities were present in 33.3%. Morbidity and mortality from the procedure included one aspiration pneumonia, one lateral pharyngeal wall tear and one death (8.3%). X-ray findings were negative or inconclusive in 11(45.8%) patients with a foreign body. The majority of patients, 85.7% required 2 to 3 days of admission of which 52.7% had no foreign bodies. The most common foreign body retrieved was fishbone accounting for 13 of the 24 foreign bodies detected.