Chicken Bone in the Oesophagus: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge

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 lea...

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Main Authors: Saahiti Koppolu, Anuja Satav, Rashmi Kelkar, Urmila Phad, Rashmi Prashant
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
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Online Access:https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/21074/77433_CE[Ra1]_F(IS)_QC(PS_SS)_PF1(RI_SS)_PFA(IS)_PN(IS).pdf
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author Saahiti Koppolu
Anuja Satav
Rashmi Kelkar
Urmila Phad
Rashmi Prashant
author_facet Saahiti Koppolu
Anuja Satav
Rashmi Kelkar
Urmila Phad
Rashmi Prashant
author_sort Saahiti Koppolu
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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spelling doaj-art-e30feffc9de74252a853cd845f47fca22025-08-20T02:02:14ZengJCDR Research and Publications Private LimitedJournal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research2249-782X0973-709X2025-06-01196UD06UD0910.7860/JCDR/2025/77433.21074Chicken Bone in the Oesophagus: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic ChallengeSaahiti Koppolu0Anuja Satav1Rashmi Kelkar2Urmila Phad3Rashmi Prashant4Junior Resident, Department of ENT, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.Assistant Professor, Department of ENT, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.Junior Resident, Department of Anaesthesia, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesia, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.Professor, Department of ENT, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.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.https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/21074/77433_CE[Ra1]_F(IS)_QC(PS_SS)_PF1(RI_SS)_PFA(IS)_PN(IS).pdfairway managementlaryngoscopymagill’s forcepsobstructionperforationpulmonary complicationsretropharyngeal abscess
spellingShingle Saahiti Koppolu
Anuja Satav
Rashmi Kelkar
Urmila Phad
Rashmi Prashant
Chicken Bone in the Oesophagus: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
airway management
laryngoscopy
magill’s forceps
obstruction
perforation
pulmonary complications
retropharyngeal abscess
title Chicken Bone in the Oesophagus: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge
title_full Chicken Bone in the Oesophagus: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge
title_fullStr Chicken Bone in the Oesophagus: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge
title_full_unstemmed Chicken Bone in the Oesophagus: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge
title_short Chicken Bone in the Oesophagus: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge
title_sort chicken bone in the oesophagus a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge
topic airway management
laryngoscopy
magill’s forceps
obstruction
perforation
pulmonary complications
retropharyngeal abscess
url https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/21074/77433_CE[Ra1]_F(IS)_QC(PS_SS)_PF1(RI_SS)_PFA(IS)_PN(IS).pdf
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AT anujasatav chickenboneintheoesophagusadiagnosticandtherapeuticchallenge
AT rashmikelkar chickenboneintheoesophagusadiagnosticandtherapeuticchallenge
AT urmilaphad chickenboneintheoesophagusadiagnosticandtherapeuticchallenge
AT rashmiprashant chickenboneintheoesophagusadiagnosticandtherapeuticchallenge