Endoscopic management of foreign bodies in the upper-GI tract: experience with 1088 cases in China.
BACKGROUND
Reports on endoscopic management of ingested foreign bodies of the upper-GI tract in China are scarce.


OBJECTIVE
To report our experience and outcome in the management of ingestion of foreign bodies in Chinese patients.


METHODS
Between January 1980 and January 2005, a total of 1088 patients (685 men and 403 women; age range, 1 day to 96 years old) with suspected foreign bodies were admitted to our endoscopy center.


METHODS
All patients underwent endoscopic procedure after admission.


METHODS
Demographic and endoscopic data, including age, sex, and referral sources of patients, types, number and location of foreign bodies, associated upper-GI diseases, endoscopic methods, and accessory devices for removal of foreign bodies were collected and analyzed.


RESULTS
A total of 1090 foreign bodies were found in 988 (90.8%) patients. The types of foreign bodies varied greatly: mainly food boluses, coins, fish bones, dental prostheses, or chicken bones. The foreign bodies were located in the pharynx (n = 12), the esophagus (n = 577), the stomach (n = 441), the duodenum (n = 50), and the surgical anastomosis (n = 10). The associated GI diseases (n = 88) included esophageal carcinoma (33.0%), stricture (23.9%), diverticulum (15.9%), postgastrectomy (11.4%), hiatal hernia (10.2%), and achalasia (5.7%). A rat-tooth forceps and a snare were the most frequently used accessory devices. The success rate for foreign-body removal was 94.1% (930/988).


CONCLUSIONS
Ingestion of foreign bodies is a common clinic problem in China. Endoscopy procedures are frequently performed, and a high proportion of patients with foreign bodies require endoscopic intervention.
Li
Zhao-Shen
ZS
Department of Gastroenterology, Digestive Endoscopy Center, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Sun
Zhen-Xing
ZX
Zou
Duo-Wu
DW
Xu
Guo-Ming
GM
Wu
Ren-Pei
RP
Liao
Zhuan
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004386:Duodenum; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D004867:Equipment Design; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D004947:Esophagus; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013270:Stomach; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome