Frequency of oesophageal foreign bodies ingested by children presenting to the ENT department.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequencies of different esophageal foreign bodies ingested by children presenting to Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad. Period: 2nd July 2020 to 31st December 2022. Material & Methods: Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 168 patients, aged between 6 months and 11 years, presenting with suspected esophageal foreign bodies, were included in the study after obtaining written consent. Socio-demographic information, clinical history, and symptoms were carefully recorded. Diagnostic procedures included neck X-rays, extended to the chest, and abdominal X-rays as necessary. Rigid esophagoscopy, performed under general anesthesia, was utilized to confirm and remove foreign bodies. Subsequently, the nature and type of the extracted foreign bodies were identified and documented using a standardized pro forma. Results: The mean age of the patients was 5.63 ± 3.097, ranging from 1 to 11 years. Regarding the gender distribution, 105 (62.5%) were male, and 63 (37.5%) were female. When considering the types of foreign bodies, 129 (76.8%) presented with coins, 12 (7.1%) with metallic objects, 7 (4.2%) with battery cells, and 9 (5.4%) with fruit seeds. Additionally, there were a few cases of chicken bones, fish bones, and safety pins, accounting for 9 (5.4%) in the category of other foreign bodies. Conclusion: This study underscores the frequent occurrence of esophageal foreign body ingestion in young children, particularly males under the age of 5, with coins identified as the predominant culprits.