Case #03 Discussion:

The foreign object (coin) is in the distal 1/3 of the esophagus. Possible complications of foreign body ingestion incident include esophageal (or other GI) obstruction and rupture. Common causes of esophageal obstruction include congenital atresia/stenosis, web/diverticulum, foreign body, stricture, extrinsic compression, and achalasia. It is important to monitor the transit of a foreign body to rule out an obstruction. The child should not be given food for 2-3 hours to allow migrating myenteric complexes (MMCs) to clear the object from the stomach. Transit time for large objects will be variable but is longer than the normal transit time for a meal.