A statistical study was made of 51 cases of PTP (press-through-pack) among 186 cases of foreign bodies in the esophagus at our clinic and of 635 cases obtained from reports in Japan between 1974 and 1994. The results were as follows.
1) Our series included 21 males and 30 females aged from 15 to 87 years (mean age: 62.7 years). The incidence of PTP for all cases of esophageal foreign bodies was 27.5%.
2) The sites of the PTP were the cervical esophagus (51.0%), the middle esophagus (37.3%), and the lower esophagus (11.6%). However, between males and females, the rate of incidence was higher in the cervical esophagus in females than in males.
3) The annual incidence gradually increased from 10.9% (1976) to 44.8% (1994) compared to other esophageal foreign bodies.
4) Bleeding and edematous swelling of the esophageal mucosa were observed in all cases during operations. Some revealed granulation around the foreign bodies without perforation.
5) Treatments were performed under open tube esophagoscopy under general anesthesia, except in one case.
6) 635 cases were obtained from reports in Japan. Their ages ranged from 9 to 92 years, and females showed a higher incidence of PTP than males. Also, annual incidence increased in older persons, especially in females.
7) To avoide the PTP esophageal foreign bodies, the forms and materials of PTP were discussed from the veiwpoint of medical institutes, pharmacologists and patients.
