Aims
To describe the epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of foreign bodies in the upper GI tract
Methods
This is a retrospective, single-center descriptive study including patients admitted for management of upper GI tract foreign bodies between january 2018 and August 2025 at Bab El Oued University Hospital. Patients managed in the emergency department were excluded. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v24
Results
A total of 80 patients were included, with a sex ratio of 0.9. The mean age was 44 years (range: 15–60). In 72.5% of cases, the context of ingestion was known, of which 70% were accidental and 2.5% intentional. The main presenting symptoms were dysphagia and hypersalivation.
Standard radiological exams were performed in 100% of cases, whereas only one patient underwent a CT scan,which did not reveal complications.Upper endoscopy (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) was performed in 70% of cases.
The foreign body was located in the esophagus in 50% of cases, and pre-existing esophageal lesions were found in 22.5% of these patients. Endoscopic removal was successful in 75% of cases. Only 3.3% of patients required surgical intervention.
Conclusions
In our experience, Foreign body ingestion was predominantly accidental. Diagnosis relies primarily on endoscopy, which allows visualization and removal in most cases. However, surgical intervention may be required in selected situations