During the past 20 years from 1971 to 1991,71 cases of esophageal foreign bodies were treated in the department of otolaryngology, Akita university hospital. These patients were clinically analyzed. The youngest patient was 10 months old and the oldest was 79 years old. Out of 71 cases,27 cases (38.0%) were under 6 years of age. Fish bones were the most common (20 cases; 28.2%), followed by coins (16 cases; 22.5%). Coins were only found in children under 6 years of age. In 52 cases (73.2%), the foreign bodies were located at the first physiological constriction of the esophagus. In 10 cases (14.1%) the foreign bodies were removed by the external incision because of perforation and esophageal abscess.
