Abstract

Esophageal foreign bodies should be retrieved as soon as possible, as they may cause complications such as bleeding, perforation, and respiratory distress. Flexible endoscopy is the preferred method, because it is effective and safe, but rigid esophagoscopy or a surgical procedure should be considered if flexible endoscopy fails. Extraction with a Foley balloon is an effective method for removing blunt foreign bodies from the esophagus. The general technique used is to insert the catheter into the esophagus through the nose or mouth, place it in the distal part of the foreign body, balloon the catheter, and remove the foreign body by pulling the catheter out. This procedure is generally performed under fluoroscopy, but a few reports have used Foley balloon extraction during endoscopy. We report a case of an elderly woman with a blunt foreign body in the upper esophagus. After failing to remove the object by endoscopy, we removed it with a Foley balloon under endoscopy.

• Keywords: Foreign body, Esophagus, Balloon dilatation, Endoscopy