Early management of foreign bodies in the upper digestive tract with flexible fiberendoscopy

We present our five year experience (1983-1988) in 74 patients who intentionally or accidentally ingested foreign bodies, and their management with flexible fibroendoscopy. A higher incidence was observed in children under 6 years of age, and adults between 30 and 50 years of age. The major presenting symptom was the "sentation of foreign body", and 24% of patients presented no symptomatology. The most commonly encountered foreign bodies were: fishbone, coins, chicken bones, and meat fragments. An esophageal location was the most commonly found, predominantly in the proximal third. Flexible endoscopy performed in 59 patients (80%), successfully removing the foreign body in 93.2%. In the remaining cases it was demonstrated previously that the foreign body could not be reached by the endoscope.