Questionable Methods of Foreign Body Treatment

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Abstract
Foreign bodies of the air and food passages have been removed safely for years by endoscopic means. Recently new nonendoscopic techniques have been introduced to remove these foreign bodies and some have resulted in severe complications. One example is papain which has been advocated for dissolving esophageal meat impaction; and, while successful in some patients, this method has led to two deaths. Coins have been successfully extracted from the esophagus by using a distended Foley catheter, but such a technique could result in aspiration. Bronchial foreign bodies have been expelled by placing the patient in a head down position and taping the chest to dislodge them. This produced a cardiorespiratory arrest in one patient and after resuscitation, temporary blindness. It would appear that these newer techniques are more dangerous statistically than time honored and proven endoscopy.