Endoscopic management of foreign bodies in upper gastrointestinal tract: a report of 802 cases

Objective To summarize the experiences in diagnosing and removing foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Methods Eight hundred and two cases were examined endoscopically for their ingested foreign bodies from 1978 to 2003. Endoscopy and various instruments for grasping the foreign bodies were used. Results Altogether there were 1 198 pieces of foreign bodies, 424 of which were impacted in the esophagus, 662 in the stomach, and 112 in the duodenum. One thousand one hundred and ninity-eight pieces of foreigen bodies were successfully removed from 780 patients without any complications. But removal of 31 pieces in 22 patients failed because the foreign bodies were impacted in the gastrointestinal tract. The success rate was 97.3%. Among all the foreign bodies taken out, the largest one was 20cm in length and 4.2cm in width. Conclusion Endoscopy could be used safely and effectively in patients with ingested foreign bodies.