Foreign bodies of the esophagus in children

Abstract

Of this study is to determine the optimal algorithm for active verification and treatment of children with foreign bodies of the esophagus, analysis of the causes and development of related complications. The results of examination and treatment of 320 children with foreign bodies of the esophagus for the period from 2011 to 2017 were analyzed. The vast majority of patients (79.4%) were between 1 and 5 years old. The period from the moment of accidental ingestion of a foreign body to hospitalization ranged from 3 hours to 2 months. It was found that the x-ray method made it possible to confirm the presence of a foreign body in the esophagus in 89.1% of cases, to identify the nature of the radiopaque foreign body and associated complications in 100% of cases. In order to remove a foreign body, 314 emergency endoscopic interventions were performed. In 79.6% of cases, a foreign body was localized in the upper third of the esophagus. Coins were the most frequently found foreign bodies of the esophagus (80.1%), the second place was taken by disk-type batteries (8.7%), and the third - by bones of various origin (4.5%). Among all foreign bodies, the most dangerous were disk batteries, causing serious complications in 72% of cases, the treatment of which requires the joint efforts of doctors of various specialties. The occurrence and severity of complications was directly dependent on the nature, size, location of fixation and the length of stay of a foreign body in the esophagus. Main conclusion of this study is that children with suspected foreign body of the esophagus need emergency examination and treatment exclusively in a multidisciplinary medical institution.