
Chicken Bone in the Oesophagus: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge
UD06-UD09
Correspondence
Rashmi Kelkar,
D Wing, Flat No. 1102, Kapil Aasmant Society, Pashan Sus Road, Pashan, Pune-411021, Maharashtra, India.
E-mail: rashmikelkar@hotmail.com
Foreign body ingestion is a frequently encountered medical emergency that requires prompt evaluation and intervention. While many ingested objects pass through the gastrointestinal tract without complications, sharp foreign bodies, such as chicken bones, pose a high risk of perforation. This can lead to severe complications, including mediastinitis and abscess formation, making early diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach essential for safe removal and improved patient outcomes. In the present case, a 49-year-old male presented to the Otorhinolaryngology {Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)} Outpatient Department (OPD) with dysphagia, throat pain and changes in voice for two weeks. He was diagnosed with a retropharyngeal abscess, which was managed conservatively with intravenous (i.v.) antibiotics. The patient reported a history of consuming chicken before the onset of symptoms. On examination, he was haemodynamically stable. A Computed Tomography (CT) scan revealed an inverted V-shaped hyperdense foreign body penetrating the right lateral oesophageal wall and extending into the apical segment of the right upper lung lobe. A multidisciplinary team, including a pulmonologist, anaesthesiologist, ENT surgeon and gastroenterologist, opted for endoscopic removal under general anaesthesia. During the procedure, the foreign body slipped into the hypopharynx, posing an airway risk. The anaesthesiologist successfully removed the intact chicken bone using a laryngoscope and Magill’s forceps. Postoperatively, the patient was conservatively managed by ENT, kept nil per oral and discharged a week later in stable condition. The present case underscores the significance of multidisciplinary coordination in managing airway emergencies during foreign body removal.