Abstract
One hundred and three patients with fishbone foreign bodies in the air and food passages were treated in the authors' clinic during the last 17 years and 8 months from May 1962 to December 1979. Fihbone stuck in the pharynx in 70 cases, in the esophagus in 26 cases and in the airway in 7 cases. Flatfish bones were most commonly found. Age incidence was highest in the third decade (19.4%) and sex incidence was twice as high in the female.
Six patients with fishbone in the airway endoscopically treated were reported in detail. The rigid-type bronchoscope was used in most cases, but the flexible bronchofiberscope was applied in a few. Thus, training of the use of the rigid scope seemed still very important for otolaryngologists and bronchoesophagologists.
An experimental X-ray study using human cadaver phantom was made with reference to the diagnosis of fishbone foreign bodies in the airway and the following results were obtained.
1) When the longitudinal axis of a fishbone coincided with the direction of X-ray beam, it could be detected in A-P view of routine exposure or in the lateral view of low voltage condition.
2) When both directions crossed each other, it could be found only by tomography.
