Newly Recognized Foreign Body in the Esophagus

Abstract

To the Editor.— Foreign bodies in the esophagus are well-recognized and dreaded occurrences. A variety of objects can be swallowed, most frequently by infants and children. These include open safety pins, coins, small toys, buttons, and marbles. Pieces of meat or fish bones are frequently swallowed by adults. A new and dangerous foreign body has emerged for due concern— namely, the pull-tab top from soda and beer cans. We have treated a 16-year-old boy who put the pull-tab top from a soda can into the can prior to drinking and inadvertently swallowed the object. It then became lodged in his esophagus. Our case represents the swallowing of an object that has arisen from technological advances. With the advent of metal soda and beer cans comes the convenient pull-tab top ring for opening the can. As in the case of our patient, people apparently have the habit of putting the pull