Analysis of esophageal diseases in adults with foreign bodies, and evaluation of the effectiveness of their extraction using various endoscopic instruments

Aim. To conduct a retrospective analysis of esophageal diseases, against which foreign bodies (FB) were detected, to evaluate the effectiveness of their extraction using various endoscopic instruments. Materials and methods. The results of examination and treatment of 567 patients with suspected FB of the esophagus from 2023 to 2025 were analyzed. There were 246 men (43.4%), 321 women (56.6%). The average age of patients was 46.5±4.7 years. The duration of FB in the gastrointestinal tract in all patients did not exceed 6 hours. Upon admission, all patients underwent an examination of the ENT organs, contrast X-ray of the esophagus and video esophagogastroduodenoscopy with FB extraction using endoscopic forceps “alligator”, “alligator+rat tooth”, endoscopic loop, endoscopic basket. Statistical data processing was performed using the Statistica 10.0 program. Results. Diagnostic EGDS did not reveal any FB in the esophagus in 198 (34.9%) patients. Since FB were food fragments in 188 (94.9%) of them, there was no need to extract them from the stomach. Dental crowns and bridges were extracted with endoscopic alligator+rat tooth forceps or an endoscopic loop from the stomach of 10 (5.1%) patients. Esophageal FB of various types were detected in 369 (65.1%) patients; FB were extracted in 379 patients, including from the esophagus (369 (97.4%)) and stomach (10 (2.6%)). Endoscopic alligator forceps were used to extract fish bones. In case of “meat blockage”, “alligator+rat tooth” forceps and an endoscopic basket were used. Dental crowns were removed with “alligator+rat tooth” forceps, bridge prostheses - with an endoscopic loop. FB was detected in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (90 (24.4%)), strictures due to chemical burns (67 (18.2%)), achalasia of the esophagus (56 (15.2%)), esophageal cancer (43 (11.6%)) and Barshon-Tishindorf syndrome (16 (4.3%)). In 97 (26.3%) patients, esophageal diseases were not diagnosed. Conclusions. The causes of FB of the esophagus are often its organic and functional diseases. Examination of patients with dysphagia for the purpose of early detection of pathology of the upper gastrointestinal tract, increasing public literacy and informing patients about possible complications of esophageal disease, following a diet and preliminary grinding of food, timely installation of a stent for esophageal cancer will reduce the frequency of esophageal FB.

endoscopic forceps “alligator”, “alligator+rat tooth”

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