Esophageal foreign body as a cause of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage: case report and review of the literature

Foreign body ingestion is a common complaint in the emergency department. Severe upper gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage is a rare complication of foreign body ingestion and is always considered to signal aortoesophageal fistula (AEF). We report a rare case of a 65-year-old man with upper GI hemorrhage caused by an ingested duck bone 10 days previously. Instead of AEF, massive erosion and edema were found in the esophagus, highlighting the potentially complex pathology of foreign body ingestion. A literature review of the recognized clinical features of esophageal foreign body is described. Some practical points and pitfalls in the management of esophageal foreign body are presented. For patients with a history of esophageal foreign body ingestion, the clinician must maintain a high index of suspicion and must endeavor to obtain a full history.