Anesthesiologists remind you: During every holiday season, beware of "holiday disease" - foreign bodies in the esophagus

During every festive season, it is inevitable to enjoy a good meal with family and friends. Experts remind us that when enjoying family reunions, gatherings with friends, and delicious food, we must not let a "festival disease" - foreign bodies in the esophagus - spoil the fun.

What is a foreign body in the esophagus?

It usually refers to the accidental swallowing of foreign objects due to careless eating, such as date pits, fish bones, dentures, bones, buttons, coins, etc. Foreign objects are often embedded in the narrow part of the esophagus. If not removed in time, it can cause esophageal inflammation, abscesses, esophageal fistulas, and even pierce large blood vessels to cause irreparable heavy bleeding.

Where do foreign objects usually get stuck?

Foreign bodies usually get stuck in three narrow areas of the esophagus: the first narrow area is the most common and is located at the entrance of the esophagus; the second narrow area is the second most common and is located at the level of the 4th and 5th thoracic vertebrae, which is also close to the aortic arch; the third narrow area is located at the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm.

What are the symptoms of a foreign body in the esophagus?

The main symptoms of esophageal foreign bodies are throat pain, which worsens when swallowing; foreign body sensation; difficulty swallowing; increased saliva and a choking sensation when swallowing saliva; larger esophageal foreign bodies can compress the trachea and cause difficulty breathing.

How to deal with foreign bodies in the esophagus?

★ Stuffing steamed buns, swallowing bread, choking on rice, drinking vinegar and other folk remedies... all are not allowed!!!

★Stop all swallowing and eating, don’t even drink water!

★Please don't delay. The sooner you go to the hospital, the safer it is, because the longer you wait, the more likely it is to develop serious complications.

★Professional doctors will develop appropriate treatment plans through examination.

How to prevent foreign bodies in the esophagus?

★ When eating, you should concentrate on your meals. Do not talk or laugh while eating. Avoid eating while watching TV. Food should be chewed thoroughly before swallowing, especially for the elderly and those with impaired chewing and swallowing functions.

★ Take care of children and educate them not to put toys into their mouths to avoid them accidentally entering the esophagus;

★ When eating meat, fish, or dates, remove bones, thorns, and date pits first to avoid swallowing foreign objects;

★For those who wear dentures, check whether the dentures are loose.

Foreign bodies in the esophagus are common every day, especially on weekends and holidays.

Beijing Tongren Hospital is one of the medical institutions with the largest number of patients with esophageal foreign bodies in the country, with more than 600 patients receiving the disease each year.

In 2021, Professor Wang Guyan of Beijing Tongren Hospital led an anesthesia team to conduct a retrospective study of 1,353 cases of esophageal foreign bodies. The results showed that more cases of esophageal foreign bodies occurred during holidays! The number of esophageal foreign bodies that required removal under general anesthesia on holidays was three times that of weekdays, and the incidence rate was higher in the elderly.