Rate of esophagus foreign body and its complications in inpatient of Emam and Booali Sina teaching hospitals in Sari during 2003-2008 (A 6 Year survey)

Foreign bodies in esophagus are causes for contact with emergency ward. Complications, such as bleeding, mucosal defect, esophageal perforation or even perforation of aorta and aortoesophageal fistula and death due to delayed in diagnosis, non-professional manipulation by patients or delayed in referring and penetrating of the foreign body into the esophagus, were reported This is a cross-sectional descriptive chart review study. Variables were included: age, sex, patient’s job, the time between aspiration of the foreign body and referring to the hospital, type of foreign body, previous managements in other medical centers before referring to the hospital, clinical signs at the time of admission, type of diagnostic procedures, procedures which leading to diagnosis, therapeutic managements, the results of performed managements, possible side effects, anesthetic technique if performing, number of foreign bodies in each patients, frequency of foreign body entrance, length of hospital stay, and condition of the patient at the discharge time. Data were analyzed by using SPSS software and descriptive statistics. Among 181 cases, the mean of age, length of stay, the time between foreign body ingestion and referring to the hospital were 40 ± 22 year, 1.6 ± 1.8 day and 16 ± 20 hours respectively. The most co-existing disease was psychiatric disorders in 5 cases (29.4%). The most aspirated foreign bodies were pieces of bone in 119 cases (65.8%), and then was food particles in 27 cases (14.9%). The frequencies of ingested foreign body in 156 (86.2%) cases were 1 piece and only, in 4 cases (2.2%) were 2 pieces. Foreign body sensation was the most common complaint among 66 patients (36.5%). Esophagoscopy was the most important procedure leading to diagnosis for 84 cases (46.4%). The principal complication of foreign body aspiration was creating wound in upper part of esophageal wall in 6 cases (3.3%), which was repaired by drug therapy. Patients with regard to delayed in referring to the hospital therefor, considering clinical signs and taking careful history can be very important. In case of confirmed foreign body aspiration, assessment for number of aspirated particles is considerable. The prevalence of foreign body aspiration is high among children so teaching to the parents is recommended. Foreign body duo to meal of fish bone has not high rate.