A Case of Fish Bone Foreign Body That Had Migrated to the Subcutaneous Tissue of the Neck From the Hypopharynx

Abstract

Fish bones are among the most frequently encountered ingested foreign bodies in the pharynx and cervical esophagus. We report a case in which a mistakenly ingested fish bone had migrated from the hypopharynx to the subcutaneous tissue of the neck and had to be removed through esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

A 70-year-old man who had eaten boiled rockfish visited our hospital complaining of sore throat. Laryngoscopic examination revealed no foreign bodies. However, computed tomography (CT) showed a foreign body between the thyroid cartilage and cricoid cartilage, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed for its removal. In this case, CT was useful for identifying an extrapharyngeal fish bone foreign body. An appropriate removal method needs to be selected for foreign bodies lodged in unusual areas.