rare case of a patient with a foreign body in the esophagus for two years which perforated into the mediastinum

R Byaruhanga, E Kakande, T Mwambu

Abstract

A 6-year-old girl was referred to the ENT (Ear nose and throat) unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital with a foreign body in the esophagus diagnosed by routine chest radiograph. The child’s parents recall she had ingested a round object (galvanised iron umbrella cap of a roofing nail) two years prior to this, but they thought that the child had passed it out in stool since she had continued eating and swallowing normally. On arrival at the National referral hospital, the child had two esophagoscopies done but the foreign body was not seen, not until a barium swallow was done was it confirmed that the FB(foreign body) had perforated the esophagus and entered the mediastinum. The cardiothoracic surgeons were consulted, and they removed the foreign body via a thoracotomy. The child recovered well and was discharged from hospital on day 55.