[Migration and extrusion from the upper digestive tract to the skin of the neck of a foreign body (fish bone)].
Foreign bodies ingestion is a common problem seen at emergency rooms and mostly involved are fish and chicken bones. The diagnosis can be difficult because of the age of the patient (children and older patients with dental prosthesis). The shape of the foreign body leds to the course of the pathology, with possible mayor complications like migration into the fascial spaces of the neck, retropharyngeal abscess and perforation of the pharynx or esophagus which have the potential to cause morbidity and mortality. We present a 88-year-old lady who swallowed a 3 cm linear sharp fish bone which migrated from the pharynx to the skin of the neck, surfaced through a fistulous orifice and threw out six weeks later. No intervention was needed. A discussion of the management of migrated foreign bodies follows.
Maseda
E
E
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología del Hospital San Agustín, Avilés, SESPA. maseda99@hotmail.com
Ablanedo
A
A
Baldó
C
C
Fernández
M J
MJ
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D005502:Food; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*