Fish is sweet and nutritious, and many people like to eat it, but if you are not careful, you may get a fishbone stuck in your throat.
Mr. Xu accidentally swallowed a fishbone while eating and experienced obvious swallowing pain, so he went to the nasopharyngeal unit of the hospital. The doctor did not find any foreign body in the oropharynx, and further electronic nasopharyngoscopy showed that there was no foreign body in the pharynx. Considering that the patient had obvious swallowing pain and might have swallowed a large fish bone, further CT scanning examination of the esophagus was performed, and the results suggested that a foreign body remained in the esophagus at the level of the lower edge of the T1 vertebrae and the lower edge of the T2 vertebrae. The patient was referred to the gastroenterology department and underwent gastrointestinal endoscopic esophageal foreign body removal under general anesthesia, after which the patient recovered well and was discharged from the hospital.
So, what should we do if we accidentally swallow a fishbone or other foreign body that causes a foreign body in the pharynx or esophagus? Dr. Liu of a hospital explained in detail.
What is a foreign body in the pharynx and esophagus?
Dr. Liu introduced, the pharyngeal foreign body as an otolaryngology emergency common disease, foreign body is mainly stuck in the oropharynx, laryngopharynx, and esophagus. In general, the oropharyngeal cavity foreign body stuck off can be found in the oropharyngeal examination of the foreign body and be removed. Once a foreign body enters the pharynx, it is difficult to detect on routine examination, and an electronic nasolaryngoscope is needed to find the foreign body and attempt to remove it.
If the foreign body travels further down the esophagus, it can stay in the esophagus, which requires a complete CT examination of the esophagus to find out the location of the foreign body and assess the relationship between the foreign body and the surrounding important tissues, and then remove the foreign body with multidisciplinary cooperation (Gastroenterology, Thoracic Surgery, Anesthesiology, etc.) if necessary.
What should I pay attention to after swallowing a foreign body?
Dr. Liu said we are eating fish, chicken, duck, bamboo sticks and other foods is often careless and easy to accidentally swallow fish spines, bones, or sharp foreign objects, after the emergence of obvious swallowing pain, foreign body sensation, bleeding, breathing difficulties, and other discomforts. At this time, do not use swallowing harder food, vinegar, violent coughing, and other methods to try to swallow the foreign body, to avoid foreign body displacement, deepening the location of the obstruction to increase the difficulty of removal.
“Once the foreign body is embedded in the deep tissue, by the body’s natural channels of endoscopy is difficult to find the foreign body, at this time the foreign body will be stored in the body will be infected, the sharp foreign body is likely to damage the large arteries blood vessels causing hemorrhage.”
Dr. Liu emphasized that it is recommended to seek timely medical treatment when swallowing a foreign body by mistake, to avoid small foreign bodies causing big problems. In most cases, after swallowing a foreign body timely consultation can be found through routine physical examination and related auxiliary examination of the location of the foreign body, and through relevant means to remove the foreign body.