Endoscopic management of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract:A review

Foreign body ingestion is a common condition, es-pecially among children who represent 80% of these emergencies. The most frequently ingested foreign bodies in children are coins, toys, magnets and batter-ies. Most foreign body ingestions in adults occur while eating, leading to either bone or meat bolus impaction. Flexible endoscopy is the therapeutic method of choice for relieving food impaction and removing true foreign bodies with a success rate of over 95% and with mini-mal complications. This review describes a comprehen-sive approach towards patients presenting with foreign body ingestion. Recommendations are based on a review of the literature and extensive personal experi-ence.