The accidental ingestion of coins, buttons, pins, and other small objects occurs very frequently in young children. Gagging, choking, dyspnea, and stridor may ensue but eventually disappear as the object passes through the esophagus.
Lodging of foreign bodies tends to take place in the areas of narrowing of the esophageal lumen. The most frequent site of trapping is the cervical esophagus immediately below the cricopharyngeus muscle. Less common sites are the esophagogastric junction and the esophageal impression of the aortic arch.1
The long-term retention of a foreign body in the esophagus may cause recurrent or chronic symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, stridor, fever, refusal to eat,2-5 and even failure to thrive.6
We report the case of a young child who had chronic stridor and anterior cervical bulging secondary to the retention of a foreign body in the esophagus.
Report of a Case.—A 14½-month-old girl was admitted