gastrointestinal disorders
Esophageal Foreign Bodies
Symptoms and Signs of Esophageal Foreign Bodies
The main presenting symptom is acute Dysphagia . Patients with complete obstruction of the esophagus hypersalivate and are unable to swallow oral secretions. Other symptoms include retrosternal fullness, regurgitation, odynophagia, blood-stained saliva, and gagging and choking. Hyperventilation resulting from anxiety and discomfort often gives the appearance of respiratory distress, but actual dyspnea or auscultatory findings of stridor or wheezing strongly suggest the foreign body is in the airway rather than the esophagus. Sometimes, foreign bodies scratch the esophagus but do not become lodged. In such cases, patients may report a foreign body sensation even though no foreign body is present. 