Acquired tracheoesophageal fistula from an ingested penny

Summary Ingestion of foreign bodies is common in children. Here we present a unique case of a tracheoesophageal fistula from an ingested penny produced post 1982, highlighting the reaction of the zinc content of the penny with gastric acid to cause erosion of the esophagus. We also present the orderly foreign body removal through a tracheostomy as the penny's diameter was greater than the cricoid.