Ingested foreign body - toothbrush

Case contributed by Alejandra Herrera
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Presented to the emergency department with dysphagia secondary to foreign object deglutition.

Patient Data

Age: 45 years
Gender: Male

Iodinated contrast media

x-ray

A frontal chest x-ray was obtained after oral administration of iodinated contrast media. A rectangular, radiolucent object is seen in the distal esophagus (T11 level). There are no visible signs of obstruction or perforation.

Lateral films show a radiolucent structure resembling a toothbrush extending from the mid esophagus to the gastric cardia.

Case Discussion

The patient presented to the emergency department with dysphagia after swallowing a toothbrush while brushing his teeth.

Endoscopy was performed to remove the foreign object that was identified as a toothbrush.

The patient was discharged with no complications.

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