A 14-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital complaining of difficulty swallowing and a mild cough. An x-ray revealed a needle suspected to be in her trachea. A bronchoscopy found nothing, indicating the needle was likely in her esophagus. However, a repeat x-ray became normal, suggesting the needle passed into her stomach. Unfortunately, the patient was lost to follow-up before doctors could confirm.

1. ‫الرحيم‬ ‫الرحمن‬ ‫هللا‬ ‫بسم‬
A Needle in the Upper
Esophagus Passed Down to
the Stomach
Prof. Abdulsalam Y Taha
College of Medicine
University of Sulaimani
2022

2. The Case
 A 14-years old girl admitted to
Sulaymaniyah Teaching Hospital,
Sulaymaniyah, Iraq complaining of
dysphagia and mild cough. CXR
revealed a needle suspected to lie
within the trachea. Fiberoptic
bronchoscopy under LA was normal,
therefore, the needle most likely was
within the esophagus.

3. The Case…
 While the patient was prepared
to have rigid esophagoscopy
under GA, the repeat X-ray was
normal. Hence, the needle
could have passed down to the
stomach. Unfortunately, the
patient was lost for follow-up.

6. Comment
The management of foreign
bodies in the airo-digestive
tract could be really
challenging.