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A piercing story: ingestion of a grill wire brush bristle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2021

R Chen ,
J Koh ,
Y C Zhao  and
E Pudel
R Chen*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
J Koh
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
Y C Zhao
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
E Pudel
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Dr Rufi Chen, 300 Grattan St, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia Email: Rufi.chen@mh.org.au
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Abstract

Background

This paper reports the dangers of an ingested metal wire bristle from a barbeque brush, which resulted in oesophageal perforation.

Case report

A 49-year-old gentleman presented to the emergency department with foreign body sensation and odynophagia after having consumed barbequed lamb for lunch. Computed tomography of the neck demonstrated a thin linear opacity near the thoracic inlet. The object could not be visualised on emergent rigid oesophagoscopy. Subsequent neck exploration enabled localisation of a retropharyngeal abscess and a thin wire bristle from a barbeque brush.

Conclusion

Always consider the utensils employed in food preparation as a differential in ingested foreign bodies. Thin wire objects have a high propensity to migrate and result in complications, hence urgent intervention is vital.

Keywords

Foreign BodiesOtolaryngologyEsophageal PerforationRetropharyngeal AbscessNeck

Information

Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 135 , Issue 5 , May 2021 , pp. 467 - 469
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

Dr R Chen takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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