Review of oesophageal foreign bodies in Harare Central Hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To review our experience in the management of patients with oesophageal foreign bodies.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis.


METHODS
Harare Central Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe.


METHODS
Sixty eight patients who presented with foreign body ingestion from October 1990 to December 1991.


METHODS
All but two patients underwent rigid oesophagoscopic examination.


RESULTS
Sixty five of the cases with foreign bodies in the oesophagus had their foreign bodies retrieved by rigid oesophagoscopic procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
A high index of suspicion will help in early diagnosis especially in children who present with recent and inexplicable onset of respiratory symptoms.
Ali
A
A
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods; D004947:Esophagus; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015030:Zimbabwe