Open Thoracic Surgery for Removal of a Two-Year- Old Impacted Esophageal Coin and Literature Update

Introduction: Esophageal foreign bodies are important and serious cause of morbidity and mortality
in both children and adults, usually as a result of serious complications, such as perforation, necrosis,
mediastinitis, and fistulation. It has similar predilections for both males and females. Therefore, rapid
and accurate diagnosis with subsequent removal is very important.
Clinical Case: We present and discuss the presentation, diagnosis and surgical management of a 6-
year-old with a 2-year history of ingested coin locked in the oesophagus.
Discussion: Diagnosis was established by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, barium swallow and
chest x-ray. The coin was removed by open surgery via oesophagotomy through right thoracotomy
after failed retrieval via rigid oesophagoscopy.
Conclusion: Surgical treatment in the form of oesophagotomy via thoracotomy may be necessary in
some cases of impacted foreign bodies in the esophagus where endoscopic removal is unsuccessful.
Whereas coins are visible on chest radiographs, dentures are radiolucent most of the time and chest
x-rays are not helpful in detection.