Abstract
There have been only a few reports of patients with press through package (PTP) foreign bodies in the airway compared with PTPs found in the esophagus. We experienced a case with a PTP foreign body between the bilateral vocal cords. The PTP was safely removed from the larynx using a forceps through a flexible fiberscope. In our case, the time elapsed from the PTP entering the larynx to its detection was within one day. However, the detection of a PTP foreign body in the respiratory system usually requires more time. According to a review of the literature, 50% of such patients needed over three days after the onset of aspiration. On the other hand, PTP foreign bodies in the esophagus, as opposed to the respiratory system, are usually discovered within three days in over 90% of patients. The difference in the time required for detection of PTPs seems to be related to the severity of symptoms and the anatomical differences between the airway and the esophagus. Generally, the symptoms of PTP foreign bodies in the airway are mild and their detection is difficult, especially below the subglottic region, because a PTP is rediolucent. Therefore, detailed information about a patient's recent history and intensive observation by laryngo-tracheal fiberscope are important.
