Onotai, L.O. and Ebong, E.J
Worldwide, foreign body (FB) ingestion is common in clinical practice; its impaction in the esophagus constitutes an important cause of morbidity and mor tality. Most of the impacted foreign bodies in the esophagus require endoscopic removal with rigid eso phagoscopy. We present two cases of adult Nigerians, male and female with unusual foreign bod ies (fishing hooks) impacted in their upper cervical oesophagus while eating fish meals. The di agnosis of the female patient was suspected clinically, given that she presented with the rope that was attached to the fishing hook hanging in he r oral cavity. Plain radiographs of the lateral and a nterior soft tissue of the neck of both patients confirmed and located the sites of impaction of the foreign bodies. The foreign bodies were removed by the use of a rigid oesphagoscopy and mortality w as recorded in the female patient. The peculiarities of these cases bother on the nature o f the foreign bodies, location and the circumstances surrounding the incidents. To reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition, a multidisciplinary approach is recommen ded in the management of these patients. Furthermore, there should be an urgent need for pub lic enlightenment campaign on the awareness of finding this unusual foreign body in fish meals.
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