title: Chronic inspiratory stridor secondary to a retained penetrating radiolucent esophageal foreign body.
abstract: Although foreign body ingestions are common in infants and young children, penetration of the esophagus is a relatively rare event. Timely diagnosis is impeded by the absence of classical symptoms and by the ingestion of radiolucent foreign bodies. The authors present a 17-month-old girl with a 6-month history of inspiratory stridor. An extensive workup found a penetrating radiolucent foreign body at the thoracic inlet.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolarygology-Head and Neck Surgery, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA 92134-2000, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Haegen
authors.forename: Henry A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Wojtczak
authors.forename: Sandra S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tomita
mesh_terms: D004947:Esophagus; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011859:Radiography; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology*; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*