Case Report
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2006; 12(36): 5909-5912
Published online Sep 28, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i36.5909
Removal of press-through-packs impacted in the upper esophagus using an overtube
Yeon Seok Seo, Jong-Jae Park, Ji Hoon Kim, Jin Yong Kim, Jong Eun Yeon, Jae Seon Kim, Kwan Soo Byun, Young-Tae Bak
Yeon Seok Seo, Jong-Jae Park, Ji Hoon Kim, Jong Eun Yeon, Jae Seon Kim, Kwan Soo Byun, Young-Tae Bak, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Medical Center, Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea
Jin Yong Kim, Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Jong-Jae Park, MD, PhD, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Medical Center, Guro Hospital, Gurodong-gil 97, Guro-gu, Seoul, Korea. gi7pjj@yahoo.co.kr
Telephone: +82-2-8186637 Fax: +82-2-8371966
Received: June 12, 2006
Revised: July 1, 2006
Accepted: July 7, 2006
Published online: September 28, 2006
Abstract

Foreign bodies in the upper esophagus should be removed as soon as possible to avoid serious complications. However, removals of foreign bodies in the upper esophagus are very difficult, especially if they have sharp edges, such as press-through-packs (PTPs). We experienced four cases of the impacted PTPs in the upper esophagus which was successfully extracted endoscopically with the overtube. Because two edges of PTPs were so firmly impacted in the esophageal wall in all cases, the PTPs were not movable in the upper esophagus. However, after insertion of the overtube, PTPs became movable and were successfully extracted and no serious complications occurred after extraction of PTPs. In one case, insertion of the overtube rapidly expanded the upper esophagus and PTP progressed to the gastric cavity and it could be extracted with the endoscopic protector hood. The endoscopic removal with the overtube was a simple, safe and effective technique for the removal of the impacted PTPs in upper esophagus.

Keywords: Esophagus; Foreign body; Endoscopy