Accidental Ingestion of a Drawing Pin: A Case of an Unusual Foreign Body in the Oesophagus

INTRODUCTION 

Foreign body impaction in the oesophagus is a quite common occurrence but 90% of such foreign bodies pass through the digestive tract to be eliminated in stools. The incidence of complications following ingestion of foreign bodies is surprisingly low. It was 10% in a study of 2400 cases by Nanchi and Ong. Presented below is a case of a young boy who accidentally swallowed a drawing pin and in whom plain radiographs confirmed the presence and location of the foreign body. Endoscopic removal was successful.