Surgical removal of a denture with sharp clasps impacted in the cervicothoracic esophagus: report of three cases

Abstract

We report three cases of successful surgical removal of a denture with sharp clasps impacted in the cervical esophagus. Patient 1 was a 57-year-old woman institutionalized for over 30 years for schizophrenia, patient 2 was a 62-year-old man hospitalized for brain paralysis, and patient 3 was a 64-year-old man suffering cerebral hemorrhage sequelae. All three patients swallowed a denture accidentally. Chest X-rays showed the denture with sharp clasps in the cervicothoracic region of the esophagus, and endoscopy revealed that it was lodged in the esophageal mucosa. The denture was subsequently removed by cervical esophagotomy. All three patients had a good clinical postoperative course without any complications. Thus, we recommend surgery via a cervical approach to remove a denture with sharp clasps impacted in the cervicothoracic esophagus, with intraoperative endoscopic examination for esophageal injury.