Removal of impacted esophageal foreign bodies with a dual-channel endoscope: 19 cases

There have been few reports concerning the endoscopic removal of impacted esophageal foreign bodies from patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of dual-channel endoscopy in managing foreign-body ingestions in patients. A total of 19 patients with foreign-body ingestions between September 2008 and July 2011 were selected from the Digestive Endoscope Center in Lishui, a typical middle-sized city in China. The patients underwent endoscopy following admission. The impacted foreign bodies were successfully removed from 18 patients without complications using a dual-channel endoscope. One patient underwent surgery for an ingested denture following the failure of the endoscopic removal method. This study demonstrates that dual-channel endoscopic management may be a useful option for removing ingested foreign bodies from the esophagus.