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Case Reports
. 2018 Jul;46(7):2938-2943.
doi: 10.1177/0300060518767775. Epub 2018 May 22.

An oesophageal spring

Elisabetta Calamelli  1 , Tomasso Gargano  2 , Sandra Brusa  1 , Paolo Bottau  1 , Mario Lima  2 , Marcello Lanari  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

An oesophageal spring

Elisabetta Calamelli et al. J Int Med Res. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Oesophageal foreign bodies (OFBs) are a relatively common emergency in young children. OFBs are complicated by significant morbidity and mortality because their ingestion often occurs without witnesses, leading to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. We report an occult OFB in an 11-month-old infant who initially presented without any specific respiratory symptoms, mimicking a respiratory infection. Worsening of the patient's cough, which did not show any improvement, despite treatment, and progressive onset of gastrointestinal manifestations (dysphagia, vomiting, and drooling) led to the diagnosis of an OFB (metallic spring). The complex and long-term clinical course of the patient highlights the need of promptly recognizing the presence of an occult OFB. This is because rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential for preventing severe and sometimes irreversible complications.

Keywords: Cough; dysphagia; infant; oesophageal foreign body; oesophagoscopy; respiratory symptoms.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(a) Chest radiography showing the spring in the oesophagus; (b) computed tomography showing a high-density object; (c) oesophagoscopy showing considerable granulation tissue inside the spring; and (d) the removed spring
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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