Allowed Foreign Body Research Paper

Swallowed Foreign Body, Adult

You have swallowed an object (foreign body). Once the foreign body has passed through the food tube (esophagus), which leads from the mouth to the stomach, it will usually continue through the body without problems. This is because the point where the esophagus enters into the stomach is the narrowest place through which the foreign body must pass.
Sometimes the foreign body gets stuck. The most common type of foreign body obstruction in adults is food impaction. Many times, bones from fish or meat products may become lodged in the esophagus or injure the throat on the way down. When there is an object that obstructs the esophagus, the most obvious symptoms are pain and the inability to swallow normally. In some cases, foreign bodies that can be life threatening are swallowed. Examples of these are certain medications and illicit drugs. Often in these instances, patients are afraid of telling what they swallowed. However, it is extremely important to tell the emergency caregiver what was swallowed because life-saving treatment may be needed. …show more content…
However, some objects do not show up well or may be too small to be seen on an X-ray image. If the foreign body is too large or too sharp, it may be too dangerous to allow it to pass on its own. You may need to see a caregiver who specializes in the digestive system (gastroenterologist). In a few cases, a specialist may need to remove the object using a method called “endoscopy”. This involves passing a thin, soft, flexible tube into the food pipe to locate and remove the object. Follow up with your primary doctor or the referral you were given by the emergency