Interesting Cases In Gastroenterology

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Olivier C. Wenker M.D.
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care
Department of Anesthesiology
Critical and Palliative Care
MD Anderson Cancer Center,The University of Texas

Address:

Larry Moehn CRNA
Department of Anesthesiology
Critical and Palliative Care
MD Anderson Cancer Center,The University of Texas

Address:

Sandeep Lahoti M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Director of Endoscopy
Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology & Digestive Diseases
MD Anderson Cancer Center,The University of Texas

Address:

Citation: O. C. Wenker, L. Moehn & S. Lahoti : Interesting Cases In Gastroenterology . The Internet Journal of Gastroenterology. 2000 Volume 1 Number 1

Keywords: Gastroenterology | medicine

Case Report

An 80-year-old patient presents in the emergency room with sore throat and difficulties to swallow. He had a history of esophageal cancer treated with surgery and radiation therapy. He spent the afternoon with friends at a open-air party “Cajun-style”. He is known to have an esophageal stricture for which he underwent several dilatation procedures in the past.

At examination we found a patient with difficulties to swallow his saliva. He did not show any signs of cardiopulmonary distress or hemodynamic instability. It was decided to perform an esophagoscopy with the flexible endoscope under monitored anesthesia care MAC. Please check http://www.ispub.com/journals/IJH/Vol1N1/mac.html for more detailed information on MAC.

Results

The esophagoscopy revealed this image:

Question: What does this picture show ?

Answer

A crawfish was stuck in the esophagus. The patient was known to have an esophageal stricture and had to chew the food real well before swallowing it. He was invited to a Cajun crawfish party and forgot to wear his dentures. He swallowed the crawfish and it got stuck and had to be removed under MAC the same night.

Image 2: The culprit crawfish removed from the esophagus

Image 3: Patent esophagus after removal of crawfish.

Conclusion

The patient was advised to use his dentures in the future. ;-)

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