Esophageal Foreign Bodies : Experiences of 235 cases for 12 years

식도이물;12년간 235례의 경험

We have clinico-statically analysed the 235 cases of esophageal foreign body during the period the past 12 years from March InS to December 1996 at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Guro Hospital. The results were as follow : 1) Coin was the most frequent foreign body in the esophagus(172 cases : 73.2%). Bone was the next frequent foreign body (21 cases 8.8%). 2) In sex distribution, 124 cases(52.8%) of patients were the female and 111 cases(47.2%) were the male, so the sex ratio was 1:1.12. 3) In the age distribution, 134 cases(56.9%) were under 5 years of age, coin was the most frequent materials in this age group(111 cases 47.2%). 4) The most common symptom was vomiting(136 cases : 57.9%). The next common symptom was dysphagia and odynophagia was 41 cases(17.4%) 5) The most prevalent site of lodgement was the first narrowing(181 cases : 77.0%), the third narrowing(31 cases : 13.2%) and the second narrowing of esophagus(23 cases 9.8%) in order. 6) In duration of lodgement, 207 cases(88.1%) were lodged for one day. 7) The foreign bodies of esophagus were removed successfully by esophagoscopic procedure under local or general anesthesia. There were 3 cases of complication, one case of esophageal bleeding and two cases of esophageal rupture.