Dysphagia and retrosternal pain related to a round plastic foreign body impacted in the esophageal wall for over 20 years.

unit with chronic solid−food dysphagia and retrosternal pain. According to the patient, all symptoms had persisted with fluctuating intensity since she was 6 years old. Regardless of several examina− tions (e. g. esophageal fluoroscopy, pa− tient was refusing esophagoscopy) under− taken throughout this period, a history of other diseases was negative. After admis− sion to our unit, endoscopic evaluation of the esophagus revealed a relatively tough stricture located below the pharyngoeso− phageal junction surrounded by inflam− matory infiltration. Additionaly, a foreign body impacted in the esophageal wall at the same level was visualized. Subse− quently, the object was safely extracted with a flexible endoscope while the pa− tient was under general anesthesia (l" Fig. 1 and 2). The impacted foreign body appeared to be a 2 cm, round, plastic toy that was popular in Poland in the 1980s, which the patient claims to have swallowed at the age of 4 years (l" Fig. 3). As a result she suffered from continuous vomiting for a few days, yet was free from further symptoms until she was 6 years old, when dysphagia and retrosternal pain occured for the first time. Because the extracted foreign body was impacted deeply inside the esopha− geal wall, only a minor part was visible yet no secondary injuries or complica− tions were encountered. After the proce− dure, postoperative care included a 5−day hospital stay with total parenteral nutri− tion and oral intake withheld. Afterwards, a rapid resolution of all symptoms was observed. The subsequent 12−month fol− low−up period was uneventful. In general, a foreign body impacted in the esophagus may result in several potential complications (e. g. perforation, hemo− thorax, fistula, hemorrhage, diverticu− lum) [1 ± 3]. Thus, this is one of a few cases reported in the literature involving both prolonged presence of a foreign body in the esophagus and absence of any major complications.