Accidental Entry of Fish into Throat While Bathing in a Pond

Abstract

While fish bones are common foreign bodies in the throat, a whole live fish in the pharynx is very rare. We report a case where a whole fish accidentally entered the throat of a 52-year-old male, where it became lodged causing throat pain and dysphagia. The fish was removed as an emergency procedure.

Foreign body a fish in orohypopharynx with complication vocal cord paralysis

“…Meanwhile, according to Parida, tracheostomy procedure is required if upper airway obstruction is present. 5 Management in this case is with extraction of foreign body using Magill forceps. Senthilkumaran also reported successfully using Magill forceps to extract the fish live in the throat.…”

“…It may impaction in tonsil, base of tongue, hypopharynx, piriform fossae and oesophagus or sometimes in the larynx or lower down in the respiratory tract that may be life threatening and need immediate removal because it can lead medical or surgical emergencies which are often challenging for an otorhinolaryngologist. [1][2][3][4][5] Accidental ingestion of foreign bodies and their impaction is more common in children than adult. In children exploring their environment with their mouth, uncoordinated swallowing, absence of molars for proper chewing are at risk for the ingestion and aspiration of small edible object.…”

“…While fish bone most common foreign body in the pharynx in adult, live fish impacted in the throat too has been reported. 5,1,[9][10][11][12] The diagnosis is based on anamnesis or clinical presentation, physical, radiological and or endoscopy examination. 4,6,13 The use of rigid endoscopy under general anaesthesia has long been used by otorhinolaryngologist for the diagnosis and extraction of foreign bodies in aerodigestive tract.…”

“…Extraction with Magill forceps and direct laryngoscope have been reported as an immediately procedure that should be performed to a foreign body in the pharynx and proximal esophagus. 3,5,6,14 Various studies have been reported the extraction of foreign bodies in pharynx with tracheostomy procedure to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality. Preparation for performed tracheostomy in cases with a foreign body or virtually lodged the airway should be done to save the airway.…”

“…5,12,15 Complications in cases foreign body are mucosal injury, upper airway obstruction, perforation the wall of pharynx, pneumomediastinum, emphysema and vocal cord paralysis. 5,15 Vocal cord paralysis is rare complication, that can cause by mechanical obstruction of vocal cord movement, recurrent nerve palsy secondary to inflammation, trauma and nerve damage caused by foreign body or surgical prosedure. [16][17][18][19] …”