Unusual Hypopharyngeal Foreign Body (Meat Bolus) in a Cardiovascular Disease Patient

A 50-year old post-cardiovascular disease trader was rushed to our hospital’s accident and emergency unit because of sudden onset noisy breathing associated with difficulty with breathing which had progressed for two days. Clinical examination revealed a patient in severe respiratory distress. We performed an urgent fibreoptic endoscopy to remove a meat bolus. It was found impacted in the hypopharynx with near-complete occlusion of the laryngeal inlet. He remained asymptomatic after the procedure and was subsequently transferred to the neurology unit for further management.