title: Impacted radio-opaque glass in the oesophagus of a child.
abstract: Most ingested foreign bodies in the aero-digestive tracts in both children and adults are not radio-opaque, and as a result, a preoperative plain radiograph may not be helpful. However, incorporating radio-opaque markers into such potential foreign bodies like toys, beads, and dentures during manufacture (as illustrated in this case of a 6-year-old boy who ingested a piece of glass mirror which was easily seen on X-ray) would obviate this problem. While this may constitute some financial burden on manufacturers, the cost effectiveness on health management is non-negotiable. We suggest that appropriate authorities and regulatory bodies should enforce this through legislation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. ibekwets@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Titus S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Ibekwe
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fasunla
authors.forename: Moronke D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Akinola
authors.forename: Onyekwere G B
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Nwaorgu
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005898:Glass; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography